What's Best for Everyone
by UzumakiGal3113
Summary: The first person to accept him was already gone from his life, and things in the village were becoming more complicated. Certain circumstances force his hand, and he decides to leave his home. However, what will happen when a certain pale-eyed girl tries to convince him to stay? This is a what-if story. AU. Naruhina, Sasusaku later. Rated M for language and lemons later on.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there! So this is my first story, so I am asking that you be kind with your reviews. I am open to CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Nothing else. Also, I am open to suggestions for the story to an extent. This WILL be NaruHina and SasuSaku, so if that's not your cup of tea then it's best if you leave now. Also, Naruto will be kind of OOC, but deep down he is still the same Naruto. My goal is to paint a what-if scenario about what could have happened if a few things happened differently in the beginning for Naruto. Please review and let me know what you think! I've already written most of the second chapter so if you have suggestions I need to hear them!**

 **Warning! The first chapter contains a death of a beloved character, so if you don't want to read about that, turn back now!**

He stood in the Hokage's office, completely numb to the world around him. No… numb wasn't the right word. Perhaps there were too many emotions for him to process. His heart and mind were so crushed he wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't even sure what he felt.

Naruto stared at the Hokage with a dead look. The lack of life in his blue eyes were a stark contrast to his bright orange jumpsuit and sunny yellow hair. The look on his face just didn't seem right on him. Usually people would see a face-splitting smile complimenting his whisker birthmarks. No, this was not an ordinary sight for the Hokage. He had seen him sad before, but not like this. Lord Hiruzen was speaking to the boy, but Naruto couldn't hear it. He saw his lips moving, but sounds were drowned out by his own thoughts.

It felt as though the world was caving in on him. So much had happened to him in just a short amount of time, a giant mass of information had been shoved into his brain. On top of that, a complete rollercoaster of emotions had slammed into him all at once: shock, realization, hate, sadness, grief, and most of all… anger.

Yes, anger was his strongest emotion right now. It consumed his entire being, making it difficult for him to keep from shaking, made it almost a chore to breathe. He wasn't sure what to do with all of this anger. Should he throw it in the face of the villagers? Should he try to swallow it? What to do…. What-

"Naruto! Are you listening?!"

"Sure old man, whatever." Naruto's words sounded more rude and harsh than usual, even to himself. But he couldn't help it. More importantly, he couldn't be made to care at the moment. Everyone had been keeping the biggest secret in the world from him, the Hokage included. A secret he felt as though he should have known about a long time ago.

The Nine-Tailed Fox, the beast that destroyed Konoha and killed his parents, was sealed inside of him.

Now it made sense why he constantly heard the whispers, why everyone seemed to direct their cold glares his way, why parents told their children to stay away from him, when all he wanted was one friend…

Lord Hiruzen decided it best to brush off Naruto's cold tone. After all, he had been through a huge ordeal, it was understandable. The elder hokage directed his serious gaze at the orange jumpsuit clad boy from under his Kage hat.

"Naruto, I know this must be a shock for you to know, but now that you do there are other things you must be aware of as well."

Naruto instantly stiffened and glared at the hokage.

"Lemme guess, more secrets being kept from me old man? Why is it that everyone thinks they can control my life? Why is everyone picking and choosing what I get to know about my own damn self?! It's my life! I should know-"

"You're right." The Hokage cut him off.

Naruto's eyes widened, and he was stunned into silence. He hadn't expected the old man to actually agree with him. He was expecting some speech about how 'it was for his own good' and 'he wasn't ready'.

Seeing that he had the boy's attention, Hiruzen continued, "You're completely right Naruto. I must take the full blame for that. I made the decision to keep this secret from you. I even made the law after you were born to make it illegal for anyone to talk about the Nine-tails. It was a mistake, I see that now. Perhaps if I had allowed you and everyone else to discuss it freely, people could have gotten used to the idea. Maybe not. Nevertheless, the decree did not help a thing. I had hoped that if I could keep you in the dark long enough and keep people from talking about it, that you would have a chance at a normal life. That was my hope for you Naruto. I always intended to tell you, but I put it off because I knew it would add a huge burden to your life," Hiruzen then bowed his head, shocking the boy further, "I'm sorry Naruto, I truly am. I should have told you long ago, and prepared you for the life of a Jinchuriki. However, I let my personal feelings get in the way of my better judgement. I waited far too long. I'm sorry."

"Gramps….I…", Naruto wasn't sure what to say. He didn't know the old man cared about him so much. He knew now he couldn't lump the Hokage in with everyone else. The old man was just looking out for him. Although Naruto was still angry, and couldn't forgive him just yet, he was able to understand why he did it.

Hiruzen raised his head, and Naruto noticed he now wore a very serious expression, almost grim. "Naruto, I've learned now that keeping secrets from you is only going to hurt you in the long run. So, I'm going to tell you everything. Twelve years ago, on the day you were born, the Nine-Tails was extracted from its jinchuriki and attacked the village. The previous jinchuriki was Kushina Uzumaki, your mother."

Naruto felt as though he had been kicked in the stomach, his breath leaving his lungs. His mother was the Nine-Tails container? ' _Kushina Uzumaki…. that's my mom's name. I always wondered what her name was…'_

The Hokage continued on, "You see, ordinarily if a jinchuriki is separated from its tailed beast, they will die instantly. However, those of the Uzumaki clan possess powerful life forces, as well as chakra. This makes them perfect for containing the Nine-Tails. That being said, Kushina survived the initial removal. She was even able to restrain the Nine-Tails after she had been through childbirth and the extraction. Your mother was an incredibly powerful kunoichi Naruto, and an even greater woman."

Naruto wanted to comment, he wanted to say something, anything at all, but he couldn't seem to get the words out. Anticipation was killing the words on his tongue. He was learning about his past, about his mother. He dare not interrupt.

"Kushina had decided she wanted to take the Nine-Tails with her to her death, and in doing so protect you and the village. However, the Nine-Tails is not something that can be killed permanently. It will eventually manifest again, and without a host it would be out of control. The Fourth Hokage knew this, so he decided that would not be an option. He had to protect the village, and you Naruto, his only son."

Naruto felt his heart stop.

He hadn't heard him right.

The Fourth Hokage was his father?!

No way, no way. That couldn't be right.

The old man was making stuff up.

Naruto felt his breathing become heavier, a weight placing itself on his chest. Again, he was desperate to speak, to scream even, but it felt like his throat was closing up.

Seeing that Naruto wasn't going to verbally respond, Hiruzen decided to finish the story.

"Minato knew that his only option would be to seal the Nine-Tails into you. Kushina was dying, she would not be able to contain the beast any longer, and he would not be able to handle the beast with his own chakra either. However, he also knew that the entirety of the Nine-Tails would not be able to be sealed into a newborn baby. So he gave his life to split the beast's chakra in half using the Reaper Death Seal. He sealed one half inside himself, and the other half into you Naruto, making you the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Naruto, I have to tell you now that being a jinchuriki is a huge responsibility, and… Naruto? NARUTO!"

Naruto could not hear him. He had tuned him out after he had heard that his own father had sealed a monster inside of him. He couldn't comprehend it. Shock seeped deep into him, dread creeping up his spine. ' _Why would he want to seal the Nine-Tails inside of his own son… my own father did this to me. And there's nothing I can do… I'm stuck with the Nine-Tails until death. This can't be happening... This can't be happening…'_

Naruto felt like he couldn't breathe… the more he tried sucking in air, the worse the feeling became. He could hear nothing beyond the pounding in his head. His heart hurt him horribly, and he began to clutch his chest, trying to get the agonizing pain to stop. His vision started to blur, and he began to sway back and forth.

The Hokage scrambled out from behind his desk, seeing that the boy was about to collapse. He reached him just in time before his head hit the floor. He looked at Naruto's face, and noticed the bags under his eyes and the sweat on his brow. He also took note of how pale Naruto appeared. He realized he had made another huge mistake.

' _What was I thinking? I should have waited until tomorrow to tell him…. After everything that has happened tonight, Mizuki's betrayal and murder of Iruka, learning about the Nine-Tails, and now this? It's no wonder he passed out. He needs to rest.'_

Hiruzen decided he would continue this conversation with Naruto after he allowed the boy to get some rest. He called an ANBU into his office to take Naruto home so that he could get some sleep. Hiruzen decided that he would check on Naruto in the morning. After all, in a few days Naruto would be sorted into a team with a Jounin sensei, he would need to be in the correct mindset.

* * *

Naruto awoke in his own bed, after a grueling nightmare. He woke up in a cold sweat, his heart racing. No matter how hard he tries, he couldn't seem to get enough air into his aching lungs.

He had a dream that he was sinking in water, and more he sunk, the darker his surroundings became. A hand reached out to him, but when he grabbed the hand he immediately found himself face to face with the Nine-Tails. When he turned to run away, he found himself held in place by the familiar icy stare of the villagers.

He became angry, he tried to scream at them to go away, but no noise came out. Then, everyone around him disappeared, except for a long figure that came into view.

It was Iruka-Sensei.

He could only stare at the only person to acknowledge him, to fully accept him.

"Naruto…. you let me die….how could you…"

That was when he awoke.

It was true. Naruto was entirely consumed by guilt. It was his fault. Iruka-Sensei had died protecting him. The windmill shuriken plunged through his back. He could still remember Iruka telling him how he was sorry for not being there for him more, that he fully accepted him, and that he knew that Naruto was his own person, and not the Nine-tails. He told Naruto that he was proud of him. Then, he saw the light leave his eyes.

Iruka-Sensei was the only person to acknowledge him, and now he's gone. Now, all he has is a demon fox inside of him to keep him company. No friends, no family, no parents.

' _Parents….'_

His mind began to replay his conversation with the Hokage. He was embarrassed remembering how he had passed out. He couldn't help it, the feeling had come on so fast, he could feel himself spinning out of control. The news about his mom being the previous jinchuriki and his father being the Hokage was a shock to his system. Even now he was finding it nearly impossible to process.

He would give anything to speak to his father, to ask him if there could have been another way. Why did it have to be Naruto that was chosen? Why did his father need to sacrifice himself? He inwardly scolded himself for feeling this way, it was so unlike him. However, Naruto felt as though he was reaching his breaking point. All the pain and loneliness throughout his life, and now this? It was beginning to take its toll on him.

Naruto glanced at the clock and saw that it was still too early to get up. It was 3am. He wanted to go back to sleep, his body was begging for it, but his mind was wide awake. How could he be expected to sleep now? Even the prospect of a cup of ramen was far away in the back of his mind. He couldn't think of anything else except what had happened to him ever since he managed to squeak by the genin exams and finally pass.

 _Flashback_

 _Naruto was was practically skipping out of the academy. He had done it! He finally passed, and now he would be a genin! He could finally display his headband proudly on his forehead. He was now officially a ninja, and one step closer to his dream of becoming Hokage._

 _Naruto was so happy he hardly took notice of the glares and whispers that followed him wherever he went. He never really knew why people treated him as though he had the plague, but at this moment he didn't care. He was a ninja, and soon enough the glares and whispers would turn into smiles and words of praise, he was sure of it!_

 _He decided that a celebratory bowl of ramen was in order, so he headed to his favorite restaurant in the village, Ichiraku. As he made his way there, he noticed one of his classmates walking by him. He noticed that like him, she adorned a leaf headband indicating that she had graduated from the academy._

" _Hinata! What's up! Hey, you got a headband too! Congrats, ya know! We're both ninja now! I wonder who'll be on my team! You're curious too right? Oh wow, this is so cool!" Naruto was so excited he couldn't stop himself from rambling. He knew he should let Hinata speak, but the words just kept pouring out of him._

 _Hinata, as usual was sporting her tan jacket, navy blue pants and sandals along with her blush. "Y-yes Naruto-kun, it is exciting. C-congratulation on p-passing." She scolded herself inwardly for stuttering yet again in front of Naruto. It was almost as if she had no control over it whenever he was nearby, especially when his ocean blue eyes were looking into hers very soul the way they always seemed to do._

" _Thanks Hinata! Hey! Maybe we'll be on the same team huh? That'd be cool, ya know?" Naruto actually hoped he'd be on a team with Sakura, but he wouldn't mind being on a team with her either. He thought Hinata was a sweet girl, and she was the only girl in class who had never been mean to him._

" _Y-y-yes it would be cool N-Naruto-kun. I would like t-that." Hinata flashed him a shy smile that he wasn't used to seeing from other people, and it made him feel a warmth in his chest._

 _His stomach let out a gurgle sound, which promptly caused him to blush, remembering where he was going in the first place._

" _Haha, well I was actually on my way to Ichiraku's to celebrate, wanna come along?"_

 _Hinata's face instantly went beet red. She knew he wasn't asking her on a date, but the prospect of sharing a meal with Naruto had her feeling butterflies in her stomach._

" _T-that would be n-nice Naruto-kun, b-but I have to get home to tell my father the news, he insisted t-that I come home right after the exam was over. P-perhaps another time?" She hoped beyond hope that he would say yes._

" _Sure! Sounds fun Hinata! See ya later!" He felt even more cheerful now than he had before. 'Hinata sure is weird, but I like people like her, she's so nice!' He thought._

 _With that, Naruto ran off and continued his trek to Ichiraku, leaving the blushing Hyuga behind. Once there, he told Teuchi that he had passed, and he let Naruto have as many bowls as we wanted on the house. Naruto had ordered 5 bowls of miso with extra pork, and scarfed them all down easily. Afterwards, he decided it was best to head home for the evening. However, before he was able to make it back to his apartment, he heard someone calling for him._

" _Naruto! Wait up!"_

 _Naruto turned to see a man with silver hair with a bandana on top. The bandana held the leaf symbol on the front. He also adorned the standard leaf flak jacket worn by chunin and jonin._

" _Mizuki-Sensei! What's up?"_

 _The man looked down at Naruto with a cheerful expression. "Well Naruto, I just wanted to say congratulations on passing the exam and becoming a genin. You must have worked hard!"_

 _Naruto couldn't help but grin at that. Of course he had worked hard. Harder than anyone else. "You bet! I worked my butt off, ya know!"_

" _That's what I like to hear Naruto. Tell ya what, I don't normally do this, but I like you Naruto, so as a reward for passing I'm going to let you in on a little secret."_

 _His eyes lit up at that, he was getting worked up all over again. 'What could it be, a new jutsu? I brand new kunai?'_

" _What is it Mizuki-Sensei?"_

" _Well in the hokage's office, there's a scroll called the scroll of sealing. It contains high level forbidden jutsu, and if you can sneak into the office and learn even one jutsu, you'll be revered throughout the village for your abilities."_

 _Naruto couldn't believe it. A high level forbidden jutsu? How could he say no to that? He just had to get that scroll and learn a jutsu from it. Then he would definitely get the villagers to look on him with admiration!_

" _Yeah! Alright! I'm in Mizuki-Sensei! I'll definitely learn a jutsu from that scroll!"_

' _Perfect' the chunin thought to himself._

" _Okay Naruto, tonight when the sun sets go in and grab the scroll. Here, I'll write down the directions of where you should meet up with me. From there I'll help you learn one of the jutsus. Deal?" Mizuki couldn't believe how well this was going._

" _Deal! Alright! See you then!" Naruto took the paper with directions to the location and sped off towards his apartment._

' _Man, this day is going perfect, this just might be the best day ever!'_

* * *

 _After the sun had set, Naruto made his way out of the hokage tower. Stealing the scroll had been child's play for him. After all, Naruto was the king of being sneaky. He had to be considering how many pranks he had successfully pulled off over the years. After Naruto had secured the scroll, he took out the paper with directions on it that Mizuki had given him, and ran off into the woods._

' _Oh man, this is so exciting! I can't wait for Mizuki-Sensei to see what I can do!' Naruto thought to himself. He was so anxious and jittery. He felt like he was finally getting the opportunities he needed to prove himself._

 _When Naruto arrived at the clearing, he noticed that Mizuki wasn't there yet. He decided that instead of waiting around doing nothing, he would break open the scroll and try to learn a new jutsu all on his own. 'Yeah! Then Mizuki-Sensei will really be impressed!'_

 _After practicing for about an hour, Naruto had finally managed to successfully learn a jutsu from the scroll. He was lying on the ground, completely exhausted from his training. He wiped sweat from his forehead and let out a long sigh._

' _Man, I didn't even need Mizuki-Sensei, I must be awesome! I can't wait to show him the shadow clone jutsu! I wonder when he'll get here!'_

 _Just then, Naruto heard a rustling noise in the trees. He turned around expecting to see Mizuki, but saw someone else staring at him instead._

" _Iruka-Sensei! What are you doing out here?"_

 _The chunin looked at Naruto with a confused expression. He wore the standard leaf headband and flak jacket. He had tan skin, brown hair tied into a ponytail, and a scar across his nose._

" _I could ask the same of you Naruto, just what were you thinking taking the scroll of sealing? Why would you do that?"_

" _Mizuki-Sensei told me about it! He told me about how if I could get the scroll and learn a jutsu from it, that I would get all kinds of recognition from the village. He said it was a reward for passing my exam and becoming a genin!" Naruto explained. He looked up at Iruka with a face-splitting grin. He couldn't contain his excitement._

 _Iruka was now even more confused, "What?! No, Naruto that's not-"_

" _Come on Iruka-Sensei, let me show you the jutsu I learned, it's so cool! I was just waiting for Mizuki-Sensei. He told me to meet him here!"_

' _Now I get it' Iruka thought to himself, "Naruto, Mizuki lied to you. The scroll of sealing was hidden for a reason. Everyone is out trying to find it. There's no reward for learning a jutsu from it. Come on, we have to get back to-"_

" _Iruka"_

 _Both Naruto and Iruka stopped dead in their tracks. Iruka recognized that voice anywhere._

 _He reluctantly turned to face the owner of the voice._

" _Mizuki. Don't bother trying to explain. I've figured it out. It's over!"_

" _Oh really? Naruto, don't listen to Iruka, he just wants the scroll for himself. That's why he's trying to get it away from you."_

" _Huh?!" Naruto blurted out. He was confused beyond belief. Why would Iruka-Sensei do that? But he said Mizuki-Sensei was the liar. So who was lying?_

" _Naruto, don't listen to him, he's the one who's lying. He got you to steal the scroll so that he could take it from you." Iruka explained._

" _Oh I'll tell you who's lying", Mizuki began, "They've been lying to you your whole life Naruto."_

 _What?_

" _What do you mean?"_

 _Iruka began to panic, "NO! Mizuki don't!"_

" _That's right, everyone's been lying to you, ever since the decree twelve years ago."_

" _What is this decree? What's it about?" Naruto's curiosity was getting the better of him. He couldn't help but wonder what in the world was going on. People were lying to him? About what?_

 _Iruka was getting desperate. He couldn't allow Naruto to find out this way, not like this! "Stop! It's forbidden!"_

 _Mizuki ignored him, "The decree is no one is allowed to tell you that the nine-tailed fox is inside you."_

 _Naruto fell backwards, unable to stand. His legs had decided to stop working. 'Wait.. what did he say?'_

" _Didn't you think it was strange how they treated you? Like they hated you for just being alive? The fox spirit that killed Iruka's parents has taken over your body, you are the nine-tailed fox!" Mizuki spat at him._

 _Naruto couldn't comprehend what he was hearing. All he could think was no. No no no! 'No! No! NO!'_

" _NO!"_

" _Now die nine-tails!" Mizuki screamed as he pulled out a windmill shuriken and hurled it directly at Naruto._

" _NARUTO GET DOWN!" Iruka screamed._

 _Naruto tried to move, tried to run away but it was as if his legs were made of jelly. His body simply would not obey him. He had never been so scared in his life. When he realized he was done for, he turned his body and braced himself for impact._

 _But the impact never came._

 _Naruto slowly opened his eyes, only to look up and see his sensei hovering over him, protecting him with his body. Naruto was stunned at what Iruka had done. He had saved his life. He didn't understand..._

" _But….but why?" Naruto asked him. That was all he could think to say...why? Why would Iruka sensei do that for him? It didn't make any sense._

 _Iruka looked down at him, eyes filled with tears and a pained expression, "Because you're like me. After my parents died, I was so lonely. No one seemed to care or have any time for me. So I became the class clown and did some stupid things to get attention, and I paid for it. It was hard, and so painful. I know that's how you feel Naruto, right?"_

 _Naruto's eyes widened even further, 'does… does he understand me after all?'_

 _Tears began to flow freely down Iruka's face. "You're lonely and it hurts inside. I should have been there for you more, and I'm sorry Naruto."_

 _Naruto began to tear up at Iruka's words, "Iruka-sensei... I…"_

" _Please!" Mizuki yelled, "Iruka's always hated you for killing his parents, he despises you!"_

" _No, that's not true at all," Iruka responded immediately, "Naruto is his own person, not the nine-tails. Naruto is one-of-a-kind, loyal, determined, and strong. Sure he gets into trouble sometimes and gets jumped on, but his suffering only makes him stronger. And, he is someone that I am so proud of. So you see, he's nothing like the Nine-Tailed fox. He is a ninja of Konohagakure, and his name is Naruto Uzumaki!"_

 _Naruto could no longer hold in his emotions at Iruka's statement. He was overwhelmed that someone thought of him that way. Someone, finally, had accepted him for who he was. His chest began to constrict, and he felt a happiness that he had never known. Tears began to fall down his cheeks rapidly, as all the years of pain and loneliness came bursting forth, unable to be forced down any longer. Iruka had successfully brought down the mask Naruto had put up for his entire life._

 _Naruto stood up, with a new a new found determination. This wasn't just about him anymore. Naruto had someone that he wanted to protect. After all, he owed Iruka-sensei his life. He had to defeat Mizuki right here._

" _If you ever hurt my sensei again, I'll KILL you!" He growled._

" _Go ahead and give it your best shot, Nine-Tails!" Mizuki dared him._

" _MULTI-SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!" He screamed. Suddenly there were puffs of smoke everywhere. Mizuki froze, unaware of what was happening. After the smoke had cleared, the clearing was filled with nearly a hundred Narutos._

 _Mizuki just stared at the many Narutos, mouth agape, eyes wide. 'What…. he actually learned that jutsu?!'_

 _All at once, the many Narutos launched themselves at Mizuki, overwhelming him with numbers and beating him to a pulp. He wanted to unleash all of his fury, all of his anger and hatred, but he inevitably held back. Naruto didn't want to kill him, he wouldn't stoop to his level. Iruka had put his faith in him, he wouldn't let him down. Once Mizuki was down and out, Naruto released the jutsu and ran back over to his sensei._

 _Upon seeing the state of his teacher, Naruto began to weep again. Even to him, someone who has never witnessed death, he could tell Iruka was running out of time._

" _Iruka-sensei, hang on! Hang on! Please!" He cried desperately._

" _Naruto, I'm sorry. I'm not gonna make it. I've lost too much blood. Naruto, stay strong. You can become Hokage one day, I just know it…", and with those words, Iruka's eyes closed and his body went limp._

" _Iruka-sensei, IRUKA-SENSEI! Please wake up!" He begged, pleaded over and over for him to wake up, but he never did. Finally, exhausted and overcome with grief, Naruto passed out just as he could make out the silhouette of the Hokage running to him._

* * *

' _That makes twice that I've passed out today, jeez!'_ He thought to himself. He wasn't sure how to go on at this point. He had never felt more alone in his entire life.

He wondered how things could have been different if Iruka had survived. Maybe Iruka would have praised him for learning the jutsu. They would have explained everything to the Hokage and Mizuki would be locked up. Then, his sensei would take him to Ichiraku's and they could get some ramen. Everything would be okay, because he finally would have someone who accepted him.

' _Who cares now, stop thinking like that!'_ He scolded himself. He had to remind himself that it didn't matter if that's how it could have been. Iruka-sensei was gone, and he needed to deal with that however he could, and find a way to move on. He wasn't sure how long it would take, but he was determined to move on somehow. He decided that he would live his life making his sensei proud. He would become Hokage.

* * *

Naruto never went back to sleep after waking up in the early hours of the morning. After laying in bed until 7:30, he decided the night as well eat something. He decided on the usual, cup ramen and a glass of milk. Right as the water was brought to a boil and he was about to pour it into his cup, there was a knock on the door.

' _Who would be here so early?'_ He thought to himself as he lazily made his way towards the door. He opened it to find none other than the Hokage standing before him.

Hiruzen stood frozen as he took in the boy's appearance. His hair was standing more on end than usual, as though he had been tugging on it. He still had bags under his eyes, and he seemed a bit pale. It was clear to him that Naruto had not rested well like Hiruzen had hoped we would.

"Good morning Naruto, may I come in?" He asked, trying to be polite. He was going to speak with Naruto whether he invited him in or not.

Naruto, still being a bit out of it, took a few seconds to respond. Seeing the Hokage made him feel nervous all over again.

"Um… sure I guess. Sorry about the mess."

"That's quite alright Naruto, I won't stay long", Hiruzen assured him, "I simply wanted to allow you some time to rest before I spoke to you again."

Naruto nearly laughed at that. He hadn't rested much at all. However, he wanted to get this conversation over with, so he wouldn't object. He allowed the Hokage to enter and showed him to the couch, where the both of them sat down.

"Naruto, I'm sorry I sprung all of that information on you last night. You were exhausted and I hadn't taken that into consideration."

Naruto was feeling embarrassed again, remembering how he had collapsed, "Uh, no worries gramps, it's fine really. I'm okay." That was a lie of course, but he truly wanted to be okay. He would try to be okay.

"Nevertheless, it was a mistake, and I do apologize." Hiruzen paused for a moment, trying to find the words for what he wanted to say next, "Naruto, now that you know that you are a jinchuriki, there are a few things you should know about what that entails."

' _Other than being hated by everyone in the village?'_ Naruto said to himself immediately, though he decided to keep that particular thought to himself, "Like what?"

"Well, first of all, the Nine-tails is only one of nine tailed beasts in total, scattered across the five great nations. Each beast currently has a jinchuriki, people just like you. In fact, I believe the sand village's jinchuriki is your age Naruto."

Naruto's eyes widened, and his mouth opened, but again nothing came out. Just like last night, he wanted to respond but couldn't seem to find the words. All of this new information was maddening to him. There was one question however, that kept flitting around in his mind. Naruto finally managed to force his mouth to move.

"Old man… the others… that are like me… are they treated the same way I'm treated?" He asked hesitantly. He had an idea of what the answer was, but he truly wanted to know.

Hiruzen looked down at his lap, unable to meet Naruto's gaze, "Unfortunately, most of the time that is the case. While those such as the Mizukage and the Raikage's brother have managed to become respected in their villages, most who carry a tailed beast struggle to find peace among others. I wish I could tell you the opposite, but I want to be honest. I'm sorry Naruto."

"It's fine, really. I kind of figured that was the case." And to him, it really was fine. It was actually kind of nice to him to know there were others like him out there. He wasn't truly alone.

At least not in the grand scheme of things.

But in the village?

He knew no one would ever understand him here.

"Naruto," Hiruzen brought him back to reality with his serious tone, "Because of the power that you posses, some may try to come after you, take it for their own. Some may even try to influence you one way or another, to try and use you because of your status as a jinchuriki. Many times in the past, those who contain the tailed beasts have been used as weapons in war. Some elders in this village would see you used as just that."

Naruto directed his gaze to his feet. His brows furrowed. He couldn't fathom what he was hearing. First these people treat him like dirt, but then they want to use him like some kind of weapon? Naruto began to feel sick to his stomach.

"However", Hiruzen continued, "I won't allow you to be treated like that. You are a Shinobi of this village Naruto, just like the others who graduated with you. I hope one day you learn to control the chakra of the Nine-tails, but I won't force you to undergo that training if you do not wish for it."

Naruto's head snapped back up at the Hokage and he allowed a small smile to form on his lips. At least someone was looking out for him. Maybe the Hokage was too busy to see to him all the time, but he could protect him from the elders at least.

"Thanks gramps. I'm not sure what I want to do yet… this is all so new to me. But, if I decide to try to control that chakra someday, I'll be sure to let you know." And he meant that. He knew the old man would help him.

"Please do. I want to help Naruto, in any way I can. Anyway, I'll allow you to get back to your meal. Please, try to rest Naruto. I know it's not easy at the moment, but at least try."

And with that, Hiruzen made his way to the door, and closed it behind him as he exited the young boy's small home. Naruto let out a long sigh and went back to making his ramen. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to rest or not, especially if he had another dream like earlier, but he would try. He would try to carry on, for himself, for the old man, and for Iruka-sensei.

 **Whew! Okay, chapter 1 is done! I'm sorry if some of you are upset about Iruka-sensei being killed off, but it was necessary for the story I had in mind. Something drastic had to happen to throw off what happened in canon. It pained me to write it because I really love Iruka. The story has some sad moments, but happy ones too, especially later on! I hope you guys stick with me through it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again everyone! I appreciate the reviews, keep em coming! Like I said, this is my first story so every review is important to me. Again, if you guys have any suggestions let me know. I will take them all into consideration, but of course the final choice will be made by me.**

 **Alright, without further delay, here is Chapter 2!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. If I did, there would have been a lot less filler in the anime! Naruto is owned by M. Kishimoto.**

Naruto tried to rest, he really did, but every time he started to drift off he would be reminded of the nightmare he had. That was enough to instantly jolt him awake every time. He figured the only way he would ever sleep is if he could take his mind off of it for a while. So, he decided to take a walk to his favorite spot, the Hokage mountain.

As he stripped himself of his orange jumpsuit, he made sure to turn the water as hot as he could stand it, hoping it would refresh him at least a little bit. As he stood under the water, letting it run down his hair and face, something inside of him seemed to give way. Before he realized what was happening, Naruto found himself desperately trying in vain to choke back a sob. Seemingly out of nowhere, violent sobs began to wrack his body, ripping from his chest in a way he had not experienced before. Salty tears mixed with the water from the shower, and he placed both hands on the wall trying to hold himself up. He wasn't sure where this was coming from. Maybe the culmination of all his pain over the years coupled with his sensei's death was affecting him even more than he had known. Which was saying a lot, because he was already finding it difficult to carry on. Naruto tried to slow his breathing, calm his body down, but it wasn't working very well. It was as if his body was forcing out the emotional baggage he had been forcing down.

He felt like a complete wreck.

When his crying finally died down and Naruto had washed himself, he exited the shower feeling somewhat better. He reasoned that maybe he just needed to cry, needed to get the emotions out of his system. He hoped that wasn't going to become a habit. Naruto threw his towel in the hamper and put on a white t-shirt with a red spiral on the front, along with a pair of orange shorts and his normal sandals. Once he was dressed he made his way out of his apartment and began leaping from rooftop to rooftop. It was quicker this way, and he knew he wouldn't run into too many people.

Naruto was finally nearing his destination, he could make out the heads of the former Hokage just up ahead. He was nearly at the top when he noticed someone already sitting on the Fourth Hokage's head. As he got closer, he realized that he recognized the person. She was short, the only girl his age shorter than him. She had silky-looking indigo hair, and was sporting a familiar tan jacket and navy blue pants.

"Hinata?" Naruto called out to her. She immediately jumped at his voice. It was clear she thought she was alone. She slowly turned her head and Naruto noticed her face was as red as ever. 'Man, I wonder why her face is so red all of the time. I wonder if she has a fever or something.'

"Um h-hello Naruto-kun." She greeted him in a quiet tone.

"Hey, what's up? Whatcha doin up here?"

Hinata tried to steel her nerves as best she could. 'You're finally alone with him! Stop being weird!' She practically screamed to herself.

"Um well… I come up here… sometimes… to think. It's nice." She explained. She was inwardly thrilled that she had not stuttered.

"Yeah, me too. It's quiet. And no one looks at me funny up here. Anyway, I'm sorry to bother you Hinata, I'll just go." He said with a dejected look on his face. This did not go unnoticed by Hinata. The normally exuberant, cheerful boy seemed completely different. He seemed… sad.

"Ah! Wait! Naruto-kun!" She blurted out. Her normal shyness was overtaken for a moment by her concern for him.

Naruto turned back to her, caught off guard by her tone. He'd never heard her get so loud before.

"You c-can come sit with me if y-you like. I-I don't mind. In fact….," she blushed a deeper red than before, "I would really like it if you did."

At this small confession, Naruto began to feel that warmth in his chest he felt whenever he saw her smile yesterday in town. His stomach felt like it was twisting in knots. He couldn't stop the grin that had managed to find its way to his face.

"Thanks Hinata, I'd like that, ya know." With that, he walked over next to Hinata and sat down on his dad's stone head. As he did, he flashed her his famous Naruto Uzumaki smile. For once that day, he seemed to forget about his nightmare.

* * *

Naruto had finally managed to make it back home after his time with Hinata. His mind felt more at ease, and with that he plopped down on the bed. He thought that perhaps now he would be able to get some rest. However, now his mind was filled with other thoughts.

The time that Naruto spent with Hinata on the mountain top was the best time he had had in awhile. They had stayed there for hours, just talking, but he had loved every minute of it. Hinata was not like most people he knew, far from it. She was patient, kind, and really seemed interested in what he had to say. Sometimes he would say something that he knew others would say was stupid, but Hinata never once said that to him. She was always so nice to him. She even said she believed he could be Hokage. When almost nobody believes in you, it's nice to know that someone out there believes you can achieve your dream.

She was confusing to him though. He never knew why she always blushed and stuttered around him so much. She was a strange girl indeed. Something else he didn't understand was these strange feelings he would get around her. Whenever she smiled or giggled, the warmth in his chest would grow. His heart would beat just a little faster. He would try anything he could to get her to do it again. At one point their hands had brushed, and it sent a tingly feeling throughout his entire body. When he was with her, he felt he could just be himself. He didn't feel that way with anyone else. It was… nice. 'This must be what it's like to have a true friend.' He thought.

However, his mind kept reminding him of a simple fact: he was the nine-tails jinchuriki. Would she still treat him that way if she knew what he was? The villagers knew, and they all hated him. Would she hate him too? The thought alone made his chest ache, and instantly sapped away his good mood. The thought of Hinata hating him was too much, he couldn't bear it. He decided right then and there, she could never know the truth. Maybe he was being selfish, but he was starting to feel what it was like to have a friend, and he didn't want to give it up just yet.

With his mind finally off of the nightmare, and his decision about Hinata made, Naruto finally allowed himself to drift off to sleep. His body was no longer able to keep him awake any longer. Not only did he sleep, but he slept dreamlessly all day and night. Finally, he was able to get some rest.

* * *

Naruto awoke the next morning feeling completely refreshed. He felt as though the tension in his body had vanished entirely, and he was in a much better mood. He knew tomorrow he would figure out who his teammates were. He had almost forgotten about all of that in the craziness of the last couple of days, but he wanted to try to focus on it now. He had decided to try to move on and get stronger, and he knew this was his best shot at doing so. After all, he still had his dream of becoming Hokage someday.

Naruto decided to get some training in. He was feeling more determined than usual after a good night's rest. He wanted to impress his teammates and his new sensei, whoever they were. Of course he had hoped Sakura would be on his team, but now he realized it didn't matter who it was. He would work his hardest to be an outstanding teammate and a powerful shinobi. And for him, that meant he would have to train even harder than he did to pass the academy graduation exam.

Naruto snapped out of his thoughts as the training grounds came into view. He grinned, and starting running towards the empty field. Once he sat down his things and got settled, he tried out his new favorite jutsu.

"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He shouted, as puffs of smoke began to fill the air around him. The smoke cleared, and in the training ground one could now find 50 Narutos. After his clones were created Naruto began sparring with all of them, desperate to improve his taijutsu. As Naruto was fighting, pushing himself to the max, he was unaware of a familiar pair of pale lavender eyes watching him from a distance.

* * *

Hinata was no stranger to watching Naruto, that was for sure. Maybe she went a bit overboard sometimes, but she couldn't help it. Ever since Naruto had rescued her from those bullies all those years ago, he had become her hero, her inspiration. She watched as he continuously persevered despite all the obstacles he faced. People treated him poorly, something that confused her, and their classmates would make fun of him for messing up. He had a hard life, no parents, and no friends or family. But time and time again, Naruto would keep going with a smile on his face.

Many times before, Hinata had found herself almost giving up, or feeling sorry for herself. Her father always favored her sister, and she could never seem to do anything to gain his approval. But when she started to feel down on herself, she would think of Naruto and realize that if he could keep going, then there was no reason for her to give up. He became her goal. Before she knew it, her admiration had turned into a crush, which had then turned into love.

Yes, she was young, but she knew what she felt for the blonde. Every time she saw his smile, she felt her chest get warm and butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't help the blush and stutter that came to the surface whenever she would speak with him. She would try so hard to act natural, but she was never good at pretending. His sunny disposition and his blue eyes that were so full of life would hypnotize her, making her unable to calm her unusual behavior. A few times she had even fainted in front of him!

That was until yesterday. When she had gotten a good look at his face and heard him speak, she knew something was wrong. She knew her Naruto-kun, and she had never seen him look like that before. She had never heard him sound so defeated. When he got close enough, she noticed the dark circles, his pale clammy skin, and his eyes… that was what unnerved her the most. She had always been so in love with his eyes, they always held a unique spark to them. However, yesterday when he approached her what she saw were eyes that were dead, no spark to be found.

Normally if he had walked away, she would have let him go with no objection. She would have been too shy to ask him to stay. But when she saw his eyes, her shyness didn't matter anymore. She wasn't sure if she could help him, but she couldn't let him be alone. She didn't know what was wrong, and it didn't matter. If he wanted to tell her he would, and if he didn't then that was okay too. As long as she could find a way to make him smile again, to bring the spark back to his eyes, that was all she cared about. To her delight, when he had agreed to stay with her he had flashed her his famous smile. Oh, that smile. It completely melted her heart.

She had spent a few hours with Naruto on the Hokage mountain, and it had been everything she had hoped for. She had never laughed so much in her entire life, and slowly but surely her stuttering faded away in the presence of her love. She was incredibly happy to see the spark slowly return to his eyes the longer he was with her. She wasn't sure what she had done to help him, but she was thrilled that she had. At one point their hands had brushed each other, and she could have sworn there was a jolt of electricity that had shot through her skin at the contact. Being with Naruto was like nothing else.

As she watched him train, she found herself being motivated all over again. Whatever had been troubling him was still not enough to stop him from pushing himself. She was continuously amazed at his determination. She knew he would achieve his dream of becoming Hokage. No one in the village worked as hard as he did.

Hinata had finally decided to head back home, knowing her father would be wondering where she was soon enough. He had wanted to speak to her about serving the village as a genin, and what would be expected from her as a Hyuga. He had already given this speech to her cousin Neji, though she had a feeling it would be different for her. Neji was a genius, much more skilled than she was. People expected a lot from him, and he always delivered. She, on the other hand, was constantly disappointing her father. Hopefully if she pushed herself like Naruto did, she would eventually be able to please him.

No matter what, even if her father never gave her his approval, she would keep going. As long as Naruto kept moving forward, so would she. That would always be the case, even if he never returned her love. She never expected anything from him except to be Naruto, and that was enough.

* * *

The next day came soon enough, and Naruto was feeling a bit better today. He had a couple of nightmares, but he was hoping that they would go away in time. Sleep had been elusive, but he had gotten just enough to get himself out of bed and on his way to the academy. He wondered who would be on his team. He wondered if maybe Hinata would be on his team with him. That would be ideal, considering she was his only real friend. He could only hope that would be the case. Whoever it was, he hoped that his teammates would be supportive and would complement his abilities well.

He made his way down the hallway and stopped in front of the familiar classroom door. He heart started to beat faster, and his breathing became a bit labored. The last time he was here, Iruka-sensei was giving him the graduation exam. He could still remember the cheerful look on his face when Naruto had managed to pass. Even though Naruto had barely gotten by, Iruka had been proud of him.

Naruto took a few deep breaths, attempting to calm himself. Iruka-sensei wouldn't want him to get worked up like this. He would want him to be strong, so that's what he would do.

Naruto entered the classroom to see his fellow classmates. As usual, Ino and Sakura were arguing with each other over Sasuke, while Sasuke himself seemed completely disinterested. Shikamaru was dozing off while Choji was stuffing his face with potato chips. Shino was murmuring to himself, or to his bugs, Naruto wasn't sure. Kiba was making small talk with Hinata while his puppy Akamaru rested on his head and wagged his tail. Hinata had seemingly stopped paying attention to Kiba once she had noticed Naruto enter the room. His lips involuntarily curved into a smile when his eyes met hers, and she instantly looked down at her desk and blushed a deep crimson.

' _Cute_ ' Naruto immediately thought to himself.

Wait.

' _Woah, where did that come from_?'

Naruto shook his head, attempting to clear his thoughts. He scanned the room for an empty seat, and found one next to Sasuke. ' _Great'_ , Naruto thought to himself. He and Sasuke never really got along. It was strange. Naruto knew of Sasuke's troubles in the past. His entire clan had been slaughtered. Sasuke was probably the one person who would be able to understand him, and vice-versa. By all means, they should be friends. But Naruto could never bring himself to approach him. He would admit, to himself at least, he was jealous. Sasuke wasn't like him. Everyone fawned over him. All the girls seemed to be in love with him. All the teachers praised him constantly, saying that he was a natural, a genius. If Naruto was being honest with himself, Sasuke was everything he wished he could be. That was the main reason Naruto couldn't stand him. He was envious of him, plain and simple.

Reluctantly, Naruto made his way down to the open seat next to Sasuke, who seemed to be uncaring and aloof as always. ' _Does he care about anything, at all, ever?'_

Just as he sat down in his seat, a certain pink-haired girl decided to make her presence known to him.

"Naruto! Don't sit there! I want to sit next to Sasuke-kun!" She shouted.

"Forget it billboard brow! Sasuke-kun is mine! I'm sitting next to him!" Ino countered.

"Ino-pig!"

As the girls argued back and forth, Naruto proceeded to take his seat. Ordinarily, Naruto may have tried to convince Sakura to forget about Sasuke, or maybe he would have gotten even more jealous and tried to get in Sasuke's face. But now, it all seemed pointless. Sure, it annoyed him, but Naruto was on a mission and nothing would distract him from it. As he took his seat, the raven-haired boy next to him glanced over at him.

"What's with you dobe? You seem… different." Sasuke questioned him.

Naruto was a bit taken back. Was Sasuke actually interested in something for once?

"Why do you care teme?"

"I'm just curious. I expected you to whine to Sakura like you always do, or try to insult me. It's a change I wasn't anticipating from you."

Naruto looked at Sasuke warily. He wasn't usually able to have a normal conversation with him. Usually it was him trying to argue with Sasuke and the raven-haired boy ignoring him with a better-than-you attitude. Naruto had to admit that he was right, that was normally how he would have reacted. A part of him was still irritated that Sakura was still enamoured with Sasuke and cared nothing for him, but after everything that's happened it seemed a bit insignificant. He didn't have the time to worry about a crush or a rivalry with Sasuke. He had to make Iruka-sensei and the old man proud.

"Look," Naruto began ,"things have changed for me. I don't really feel like telling you about it teme, but let's just say that pining over Sakura-chan isn't a priority anymore. Becoming strong is."

Sasuke seemed satisfied with that answer. If Naruto didn't know any better, he would have sworn he saw a ghost of a smile grace his lips.

"Hn." Came his usual reply.

"Naruto!" Sakura interjected again, "You baka! I said I'm sitting next to Sasuke-kun! Move!" She began to tug on his sleeve.

Naruto furrowed his brow and felt his face get hot with anger. He wasn't sure if he was annoyed with Sakura for ignoring him as usual, or if he was just annoyed with her behavior in general, but he decided to allow his irritation to get the better of him.

"Sakura-chan, stop. You're not sitting here. I am. Sasuke doesn't even want you to sit next to him. I'm not moving just because you want me to." He declared.

Sakura seemed stunned, as did Ino. Clearly that was not the reaction they expected. Ino seemed to back off and took her seat next to Shikamaru, but Sakura wasn't quite ready to let it go. She was crazy about Sasuke, and she wanted every opportunity she could get to be near him. She decided to try a different approach.

"But… Naruto… please? Let me sit next to Sasuke-kun." She bat her eyelashes at him.

Naruto knew what she was up to and he wasn't going to fall for it. He had to admit, she looked cute pouting at him like that, but he knew it was all an act.

"Sorry Sakura-chan, I'm sitting here. It's no big deal. Besides, we're learning the teams soon. We won't be sitting here long anyway." He reasoned.

Sakura looked visibly deflated, but she gave in and took her seat next to Naruto. "Fine, you're right I guess." She told herself not to get too disappointed. There would be other opportunities to get close to Sasuke, especially if they were on the same team.

As everyone got settled, a jonin with shoulder length brown hair sporting the usual leaf flak jacket walked in. He wore a bandana tied in the front with leaf symbol on the back and a senbon in his mouth. He made his way to the front of the class and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"Alright everyone, look sharp," He started, "My name is Genma, and I'll be announcing the new teams. Here in my hands I have the list of teams assigned by Lord Hokage himself. Each team is assigned with individual abilities in mind. You will be placed based on which abilities complement each other. With that being said, let's begin."

As Genma began reading off the names, Naruto allowed himself to zone out until he heard his name called. He wondered who the old man had paired him up with. That jonin had said that they would be paired based on whose abilities complemented each other, so it would have to work out right? Yeah, whoever he was paired up with would surely be a good team for him.

"Team 7," Genma continued, "Naruto Uzumaki-"

Naruto's head shot up off of his desk. Alright, here it was, his new team.

"Sakura Haruno-"

Naruto dared to sneak a glance over at her. She did not seem happy about the arrangement. Her brows were furrowed and she wore a pout on her face. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at her reaction. He couldn't help it, he had harboured a crush on her for a long time, it doesn't just go away overnight. Maybe it wasn't as strong as it used to be, but he was still a 12-year-old boy, and she was a pretty girl. Oh well. Maybe she would change her mind.

"And Sasuke Uchiha."

"YES!" Sakura instantly shot up out of her chair, fists raised in the air. Naruto, of course, felt a bit of annoyance at this, but kept it to himself. ' _We're ninja now, crushes don't matter!'_ He reminded himself. While he wasn't thrilled to death at the prospect of having Sasuke on his team, he knew that Sasuke was at least serious about being a ninja like he was, so maybe it would work out. Supposedly their skills were supposed to complement each other, so he would try to keep a positive outlook.

"Team 8, Hinata Hyuga, Shino Aburame, and Kiba Inuzuka."

' _Hmm, so Hinata is with Kiba and Shino? That's okay I guess. I hope she's happy with them.'_ He turned around to flash her a smile, but those plans changed whenever he a got a good look at her and her teammates.

Hinata didn't seem too satisfied with her team, that much was clear to him from the look on her face, but what unsettled him more than that was the reaction of her teammate Kiba. There he was, a stupid cocky smirk on his face, with his arm draped over Hinata. Naruto didn't miss the slight blush that adorned her cheeks. She usually only did that around him.

Naruto's insides started to feel hot, and his narrowed his eyes at the brunette boy with his arm wrapped around Hinata's shoulders. He had no idea why it bothered him so much. Why was he feeling this way? Hinata was free to hang out with whoever she wanted to. And as long as Kiba wasn't bothering her, it shouldn't be a big deal right? Then why did it make him so angry? Was he feeling…

Jealous?

No way, that couldn't be it, could it?

' _No,'_ He figured, ' _Hinata's my friend, I just don't want her getting hurt by some guy, that's all. Yeah. So, as her friend it's my job to keep an eye on whoever might be interested in her. Yeah…'_

Naruto didn't get a chance to think on it further, as his thoughts were interrupted by Genma once again.

"Team 10, Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akimichi."

"Man, what a drag," the boy with a high ponytail in the shape of pineapple stated, "Although I guess it's to be expected, we are the next Ino-Shika-Cho trio after all. It makes sense."

"Yeah, yeah, I suppose. I was hoping to be on a team with Sasuke-kun though. That stupid billboard brow! I can't believe she's on his team! Ugh!" shouted Ino angrily as she whipped her blonde ponytail and huffed before crossing her arms.

Choji, as usual was too busy eating potato chips to chime in on the conversation. Although he seemed content with his team as he wore a cheerful smile.

"Alright everyone," Genma announced to the entire class, "You all will have time for the rest of the day to get to know your teammates and build team morale. It's important that you all build a sense of comradery. Then, you'll meet your jonin senseis. You're all dismissed for lunch."

Naruto knew that the jonin was right, and he should probably spend his time with Sakura and Sasuke, but honestly he didn't feel like watching Sakura drool over Sasuke for the next couple of hours. Besides, he couldn't seem to stop his legs from bringing him over to a certain pale-eyed girl with indigo hair.

"Hinata? Hey!" He called out to her. She had just been about to exit the classroom with her teammates when she heard his voice. She froze in her tracks and turned to face him, the usual blush on her cheeks. Naruto couldn't help the smile that found its way to his face. He was really starting to like that blush.

"H-Hello N-Naruto-kun. Aren't you going to have lunch with Sakura-chan and Sasuke-kun?" She started to trail off as she spoke. She was still a bit down because she wasn't going to be on the same team as Naruto, but she was trying to stay positive. Kiba and Shino were nice, and she would try to be a good teammate to them.

"Well I probably should, but I wanted to talk to you. See what you thought about your team, ya know?" He explained.

' _Naruto-kun… he's really interested in what's going on with me… he's so nice!'_ Hinata averted her gaze to the floor and began to nervously bump her fingers together, a habit that she had picked up a while back. Her blush spread down her neck and up to the tips of her ears.

"W-well… Kiba-kun and Shino-kun are nice, and we c-could be a good tracking group… with my byakugan, Shino-kun's bugs, and Kiba-kun's nose. I-I guess that's why we were put together. What about you?" She asked him. She expected him to be ecstatic at being on a team with Sakura.

"Eh… well being on a team with Sakura-chan is cool I guess. I'm not too excited about being on a team with the teme, but I guess we can make it work. It would have been great to be on a team with you." He confessed. For some reason, saying that last part out loud make his stomach feel funny and his cheeks feel warm.

Hinata's eyes widened for a moment, surprised that Naruto had said that to her. Again, she looked down, suddenly interested in the floor.

"O-oh, w-well yes that would have been g-great N-Naruto-kun. W-we'll just h-have to do our b-best with our teams I suppose." She cursed how much she had just stuttered, but Naruto saying he wanted to be on her team had brought it back with a vengeance.

"Yeah…," He began, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "Maybe we'll get assigned some joint missions together, ya know?" He hoped they would. Hinata was his only friend. He didn't want to stop seeing her altogether.

"Hey! Hinata-chan! Come on! It's time for lunch!" shouted Kiba from the hallway.

"Tch. Jerk." Naruto mumbled under his breath. He was having a nice moment, why did that dog boy have to ruin it?

"W-what did you say Naruto-kun?"

"O-oh, nothing, nothing at all!" He responded, waving his hands back and forth.

Hinata giggled, and Naruto once again felt that wonderful warmth, but this time he felt in not only chest, but stomach too. And this time, his head felt a little funny. He wasn't sure why she made him feel so strange, but he found he actually liked the feeling.

"Okay N-Naruto-kun. Kiba-kun and Shino-kun are waiting for me. S-so… I should get going. I-I'll see you later Naruto-kun." And with that, she turned towards the door and made her way out to the hallway to meet her teammates.

"Yeah… later…" Naruto said to no one in particular. Naruto took a look around and realized he was the only one left in the room. Maybe he should go to meet with his teammates? But he didn't want to. He would rather hang out with Hinata. She was such an amazing friend to him.

Naruto took another glance around and took in the silence.

'Alone… same old, same old.'

* * *

A couple of hours later Naruto sat on the roof with his teammates and his new Jonin sensei, Kakashi Hatake. He was already pretty irritated. Kakashi had shown up two hours late, leaving him to endure Sakura gushing over Sasuke and doing her best to pretend he didn't exist it seemed. After that display he was getting impatient with her. Maybe it shouldn't have bothered him so much, but it did. The sleep deprivation wasn't helping.

Kakashi was an odd looking man. He had messy silver hair and the standard leaf headband and flak jacket. His headband was pulled down on the left side over his eye. He wore fingerless gloves along with his navy blue pants and sandals. Currently he was only halfway paying attention to them it seemed. He was reading some book, which Naruto was certain was some stupid pervy story.

"Okay," He began, "let's do some introductions. Who wants to go first?"

"Why don't you go first sensei?" Sakura suggested.

"Okay, my name is Kakashi Hatake. My like and dislikes I don't feel like telling you… my dreams for the future… I have lots of dreams." He stated with a bored expression.

'Okay…' thought Naruto. This guy was straight up weird.

"You next." He said, pointing at Naruto.

Honestly, Naruto had no energy at the moment from lack of sleep, and dealing with his teammates after having to watch Hinata leave with her new sensei had put him in a sour mood. This all seemed like a waste of time to him.

"My name is Naruto," be started with a uncaring tone, "hmm, I like ramen. I hate having to deal with dumb shit. My dream for the future is to be Hokage, but I'm sure everyone knows that by now."

All three of them looked at him as if he had two heads. He didn't care. He knew he had been acting differently, but it didn't matter to him at the moment.

Kakashi even seemed surprised, even though he had just met Naruto.

'Lord Third said Naruto was high spirited and full of energy, always wearing a smile. The boy in front of me is nothing like that. I wonder what's going on with him. He seems… cold.' Kakashi wondered to himself.

"Alright, pink-haired girl, you next."

Sakura immediately perked up. "My name is Sakura Haruno. What I like is… I mean the person I like… my dreams for the future are… _eeep!_ "

Naruto rolled his eyes when he realized she was looking right at Sasuke.

"And what do you hate?" Kakashi questioned her.

"Naruto!" She responded without hesitation.

Naruto looked at her with furrowed brows. "Tch. Whatever."

'Yikes…' Kakashi thought to himself.

"Alright, last but not least, you." Kakashi pointed to Sasuke, who had his fingers laced in front of his face with his eyes closed.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things, I don't really like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I _will_ make it a reality. I want to restore the Uchiha Clan, and kill a certain someone." He declared with dark eyes.

Naruto recognized that look. Sasuke was after revenge. Someone had hurt him beyond any sort of forgiveness. He and Sasuke had definitely both had to grow up too fast.

"Alright," Kakashi broke the silence while standing from his seat on the guard rail, "we start training tomorrow. Meet me at the designated training ground at 5am. We'll be doing a survival exercise. And don't eat breakfast, or you'll throw up." He told them. Before any questions could be asked, he had vanished in a swirl of leaves.

So, this was his team. He wasn't sure about them yet, but he had to give them a chance. Hopefully Sakura would chill with the fan girl act, and Kakashi wasn't actually a sensei who didn't care. Once again, he would try even though it seemed tough. He would try to make it work. With that thought, he lept over the guardrail and sprinted towards Ichiraku for a ramen break. He couldn't be around those two any longer for today.

* * *

Naruto's nightmares were not diminishing like he thought they would. Far from it. In fact, they were becoming worse, more vivid, more intense. They got worse every time he tried to sleep, and so far tonight he had attempted sleep at least six times. More people were coming into the nightmares. The common theme was always Iruka-sensei blaming him for his death with the villagers glaring at him and calling him 'monster' or 'demon'. Sometimes, the Hokage would pop up and voice his disappointment in him for failing. He would awake in a cold sweat each time, either screaming or crying.

The final time Naruto managed to fall asleep that night, he had the worst nightmare he could imagine. After he had endured Iruka-sensei's blame of him once again, something different happened afterwards. He instantly came face-to-face with a pair of mesmerizing pale lavender eyes. They reminded him of the moon, more beautiful that any eyes he had ever seen. But something was wrong. They seemed off, like they contained a mixture of anger and fear. Once Naruto took in the entire picture before him, he realized who the owner of the eyes were.

Hinata.

She looked at him with disgust, contempt, like she couldn't stand the sight of him. The same way everyone looked at him. But he had never seen that look on her before. It didn't look right on her. Her angelic face should never have an expression like that.

"Naruto, you have the beast that destroyed our village inside of you. You disgust me, how could I ever want to be around you after learning that? I hate you!"

Those words… no… it was his biggest fear. This couldn't be happening.

"Hinata! Please, I'm still me! Naruto Uzumaki! We're friends!" He pleaded with her to see reason.

She furrowed her brows in response, her cold glare unsettling on her usually soft eyes.

"Hmph. Like I could ever be friends with a monster!"

He felt his world shatter when those words left her mouth.

"No! Please no… HINATA!"

He shot up from the bed, coated in sweat, heart racing, lungs aching for air, body trembling, and fresh tears sliding down his pale face.

He was shaken. Hinata, his only friend in the world, turning on him? Calling him a monster? It was too much too handle. Even though it was a dream, even though he knew it wasn't real, he could feel his heart breaking. He couldn't stop crying, shaking, clutching at his chest trying desperately to get the agonizing pain to stop.

He couldn't take this anymore. He needed help. Naruto was usually too proud to ask for help from others, but he was at his limit. He didn't think he could endure another nightmare like that one. It would destroy him. He knew it was a dream, but damn if it didn't feel real to him. It only further convinced him he could never tell her the truth. He couldn't lose her.

Naruto had finally forced himself to stop crying, and managed to calm his breathing down enough to stop shaking. He stared at his hands that were clutching the sheets. Yes, he needed help, but who would help him? Normally he might go to Hinata, but he definitely couldn't go to her about this! Especially since it's so late. It was almost midnight! There was only one person he could go to about this, and that was the old man.

He threw off his sheets and changed out of his pajamas. He quickly threw on a black t-shirt and orange shorts, and put on this sandals. He hoped that the old man was still in his office, otherwise Naruto would have to wait until tomorrow, and he didn't think he could. He was confident the Hokage would be able to find a way to help him out. After all, he had said he wanted to help him and Naruto knew that he was telling the truth.

He leapt from rooftop to rooftop, rushing to the Hokage tower at top speed, hoping to get there before the old man decided to leave for the night. Usually he was still there late doing paperwork, so tonight shouldn't be any different.

He was in luck. As he spotted the tower up ahead, he noticed the light in his office was still on, and he could vaguely make out the silhouettes of two people. So someone was meeting with him this late? ' _Great, now I have to wait until he's done. Well, I'll just sit outside of the window and listen for when they finish up.'_

Naruto reached the side of the Hokage tower and stealthily made his way over next to the window. He leaned in, careful not to be caught eavesdropping. Out of the corner of his eye he was able to see the figure the Hokage was talking to. He seemed rather elderly, with his right eye and arm covered in bandages. He had an 'X' shaped scar on his chin, and he held a cane to help him stand. For some reason he couldn't explain, Naruto was getting a weird vibe from him. He gave him the creeps. He crouched down out of sight, suddenly interested in what the creepy man wanted. He listened closely, and he was just able to hear their somewhat heated discussion.

"Danzo, that's enough! This is not the way I want things done in this village."

' _Woah, Gramps Hokage sounds kind of angry about something.'_

"Hiruzen, stop letting your feelings get in the way. We have to use this power to our advantage while we still have the chance. If we are able to control it, bend it to our will, then the other great nations won't even consider going against us!" The other man, apparently Danzo, declared.

Naruto was even more curious now. A power? This sounded like a really serious discussion. He was certain he shouldn't be listening, but he couldn't stop himself.

"Danzo, I don't want to achieve peace by having other nations fear us. Besides, Naruto is only a child. I will not allow you to treat him as a weapon to use at your disposal."

Naruto's eyes widened.

What?

They were talking about… him.

This was what the old man had warned him about. So this Danzo guy was one of the elders that wanted to try to control him, control the power of the nine-tails. Naruto could feel hot anger bubbling up inside of him. Why couldn't they just leave him be?

"Hiruzen, you're letting your affection for the boy cloud your judgement. Naruto Uzumaki is a jinchuriki, he's not a normal boy, no matter how much you want him to be! The nine-tails is the most powerful tailed beast there is. If you let me take him under my wing and teach him to control that power for our purposes, we would be the most powerful ninja village in existence. Instead you're going to let him leave the village on missions with Kakashi Hatake. He should be kept here where we can keep an eye on him-"

"Enough! That's the end of this discussion Danzo. I will not disgrace the fourth hokage's legacy by doing that to Naruto. No exceptions. I will protect Naruto from those who would use him, like you." Hiruzen stated firmly. His tone left no room for argument.

' _Yeah! You tell him Gramps!'_ Naruto mentally cheered.

Danzo looked furious, but then took a deep breath and allowed himself to cool off. If Naruto didn't know any better, he could have sworn that the expression he now wore was a smug grin. Naruto hadn't even officially met Danzo yet he truly despised him.

"Fine. I'll drop it, for now. But you're time as Hokage is coming to an end Hiruzen. You know it as well as I do. Someone else will take the reigns soon, and then you will no longer be able to protect him from his destiny. The other elders are on my side, and I do not give up so easily." Danzo stated before turning and hobbling out of the Hokage's office.

Naruto stood frozen outside of the window. Danzo's words keeping him glued to his spot.

' _He… he's right. Gramps is old, he'll probably retire soon, or… no! Dammit! What do I do? I'm not strong enough to go against the elders of the village yet. I haven't even been on my first mission. I… I don't want this…'_

Naruto felt himself spinning out of control again. He had completely forgotten all about talking to the Hokage now. He couldn't get what Danzo said out of his mind. He started to panic, sucking in hair too fast, his heart slamming against his chest. He had to get out of there.

Without another thought, Naruto went as fast as he could make his body go until he was back at his apartment. He ran inside and slammed the door loudly. He made his way into his bedroom and fell to the floor, his legs unable to support him any longer, burning from his race back home. He pulled his knees to his chest and put his head in his hands, tugging at the blonde strands, trying to make sense of everything. What was he going to do now?

"Ugh dammit! That bastard!" He yelled out to no one. He was so angry, so furious, so… so…

Scared.

He would never admit it out loud, but it was true. He was scared out of his mind. He honestly didn't think he wanted to learn to control the nine-tail's power. He didn't even know if he could. What would happen if he couldn't? Would the nine-tails take over him? Would he become dangerous? What if he hurt someone? What if he hurt… her?

No way could he allow that to happen.

' _I don't get it! WHY? Why can't that old geezer just leave me alone? I don't want this, I never asked for it! And yet people want to control my life because of it!'_

" **That won't change, brat. No matter how long you live."**

Huh?

"Wh-Who's there? Show yourself!"

" **Ha! Fine brat, you asked for it."**

In an instant, Naruto's vision began to blur, and then went black completely. He had no idea what was happening. Who was that voice? Why couldn't he see anything? What in the hell was going on?!

Slowly Naruto's vision started to adjust to the darkness surrounding him. What he was able to make out looked like pipes inside of a giant sewer. He turned his gaze to the floor and realized he was ankle deep in water. Strange, he didn't actually feel like he was getting wet.

His head snapped to the left when he heard a low rumbling noise, it almost sounded like a growl. It was unnerving, scary, yet Naruto felt drawn to it. It seemed...familiar somehow. His legs began moving on their own towards the sound. He was certain he had never been here before, yet he felt like he knew exactly where he was going. It was the oddest sensation.

The tunnel he was trudging through opened up into a giant room so massive he couldn't see the ceiling. The only thing giving away the end of it was what looked like a ginormous jail cell. Monstrous metal bars stretched across the room, a lock in the middle with the kanji for 'seal' written on it. The rumbling noise was loudest in here. Naruto walked up to the cage, goosebumps prickling his skin, his heart slamming against his ribcage. This was it.

Suddenly the cage was enveloped in a burning red chakra, and the rumbling noise grew even more menacing. Naruto raised his stare to the top of the cage, and met a pair of crimson eyes with black slits and razor sharp teeth. The sight was utterly terrifying, but Naruto somehow felt safe. Maybe it was the seal.

Wait. The seal…

"You… you're…"

" **So… the brat finally decides to come for a visit, eh?"** The creature growled at him.

"You're the Nine-tails!"

 **The plot thickens! Hope you guys enjoyed the NaruHina moments in this chapter! I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep updating twice a week like this, but if not then it'll definitely be at least once a week. I think I should be able to crank out the first several chapters pretty quickly, and then after that I may slow down a little.**

 **Soooo I have a couple of questions that I would love to hear from you guys about.**

 **As far as the plot goes, this is going to be a long story, with the time skip and everything. Would you guys like to see the war happen, or do you want a completely different story? How much of what happened in canon do you want? I could go either way after the timeskip. Of course the canon events would have a unique twist to them in this story.**

 **Kakashi will have a role in this story, and I want to pair him up with someone. Who do you want to see him with? Or would you rather see him with no one at all? Let me know what you think!**

 **Thanks for reading, see you next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter. This chapter is long. I thought about splitting it into two chapters, but I really wanted to get the ball rolling as far as the plot goes, so the long chapter wins. The next one will probably seem really short in comparison. Don't forget, I still need your opinions about the war and for a pairing for Kakashi!**

 **I know a couple of people wanted Hinata on team 7. I don't want to give anything away, but I think it will make sense to you guys later on why I needed Sakura to be in a position to interact with Naruto and notice his changes.**

 _ **ALSO! I want to be clear about some of the things Naruto thinks and does in this chapter. He is not in the right state of mind, plus he's still young and can be influenced. His logic will seem a bit flawed because of this. **_

**On to Chapter 3!**

 **SWEEPING DECLARATION! I don't own Naruto! I wish I did though, because then I wouldn't be pulling my hair out over how to pay the power bill this month! Gah! Anyway Naruto and all of its characters are owned by M. Kishimoto.**

Naruto stood in awe of the beast before him. He must have been at least 30 feet tall, covered in a bright orange fur that was standing on end. He had long fox ears pointing upwards and 9 bushy tails swaying back and forth. He stood on his hind legs, which looked highly humanoid shaped. He glared down at Naruto with blood red eyes with black slits and the sharpest teeth he had ever seen in his life. Surrounding his entire body was a crimson aura that made Naruto shiver involuntarily. He knew he should probably be afraid, should be petrified, but he wasn't.

" **So… brat. You told me to show myself. So here I am."**

His voice sounded incredibly menacing, not to mention booming, nearly shaking the room in which they resided.

"Stop calling me a brat! Where are we anyway? What is this place?" He took another look around. Was this… inside of him somewhere?

" **Hmph. Don't you know your own mind kid? This is your inner mind. This is where I have been sealed away by that repugnant Fourth Hokage."** Nine-tails grumbled.

Naruto turned somber and gazed down at the floor. "Yeah… hey, Nine-tails? Tell me...what did you mean earlier when you said that things won't change for me?" He wondered. He was pretty sure he already knew the answer.

" **Well, I normally don't pry into my jinchuriki's personal life, but this kind of involves me too. People like Danzo will always try to control my power. They'll track you down, try to kidnap you or influence you by any means. It's the same with every shinobi who has tried to keep us as pets!"** He practically spat that last part.

"Why are they so intent on controlling your power? Aren't they afraid of you?" Naruto thought if they weren't, they should be.

" **They should be,"** Nine-tails began, echoing Naruto's thoughts, " **But humans tend to have short memory spans and most don't learn from their mistakes. They only care about getting power. It's sickening! As if anyone could possibly control my power."**

"What do you mean?"

Nine-tails lowered his face to meet the boy's beyond the thick metal bars.

" **I mean the only way to control my power, is if** _ **I**_ **allow it. And that is never happening. Not for you or any other human. If you attempt it, I'll simply end up controlling you instead, and take over your body until I'm free of this wretched place!"**

Naruto grimaced.

"I see… that's exactly what I had feared. So… it's impossible after all."

What he didn't know was that it wasn't actually impossible. But the fox wasn't going to give him hope by telling him that.

" **Yes it is. Try to use my full power and you, your Hokage, and your pathetic village will regret it once I break free."** He declared.

"Yeah, yeah… I got it. You're not a nice guy. Look, how do I leave this place?"

" **This is your mind, as I've already told you. You control it. Just wake yourself up. Like you were having a dream or something."**

That made sense. Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated. He wasn't sure what he was doing exactly, but he figured this would be the best way to get back. He focused his mind on the outside, reality, his bedroom, his floor, his body, his feelings. Slowly but surely, his surroundings turned hazy and started to go black completely.

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes and found that he was back in his room sitting on the floor, just like he had been. He couldn't believe he had met the Nine-tailed fox inside of him. He wondered if he could speak with him on a regular basis if he wanted to.

' _ **Of course brat, I'm in your mind after all.'**_

Okay, well that answered that question. Although Naruto didn't care for Nine-tails, he did understand not wanting to be used. That was a big dilemma he was currently facing. Not only that, if he was forced into attempting to control Nine-tails… well the beast himself had told him what would happen, and he did not want to test the theory. It took someone as strong as his father to seal him away last time, he wasn't sure if anyone could do it again.

He wasn't sure what to do. He would be safe as long as the Hokage was in power, but what about afterward? He hated it, but Danzo had a good point. Would Danzo be able to get his hands on him after the old man was out of office? Would Naruto be able to stop him? And who would be Hokage after the old man? What if Danzo becomes the next Hokage?!

This was all too complex. He felt like such a coward for being afraid, but he couldn't help it. So many things had transpired in the last several days, he was doing his best to cope. But it was so damn hard. So hard to take in all of the information along with the fear and emotions that came with it. He couldn't think of anything, except to…

Leave the village.

' _No, no way I can't do that. This is the only home I've ever known. I can't leave for good. Even if I have some bad memories here, this is still Konoha and I am still a Leaf shinobi. I have to think of something else.'_

A sparkle caught his attention out of the corner of his eye, and he glanced over to his nightstand. Sitting there practically staring at him was his Konoha headband. It held the leaf symbol. A symbol of his hard work, a symbol of him becoming a ninja, and a symbol that he was one step closer to becoming Hokage. He couldn't just give up.

He climbed into bed and pulled the covers over him. He closed his eyes and hoped with everything he had that his body and mind would allow him sleep. He drifted off time after time that night, only to be repeatedly awoken by pale lavender eyes filled with fear and hatred glaring back him.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

* * *

At around 3am that morning Naruto had given up the prospect of sleep. He figured maybe he had gotten a grand total of an hour. Maybe. He sluggishly made his way into the shower and let the scalding water beat down on him, praying it would somehow wake him up. Of all days to be this fatigued, today was his first day of training with his team!

After he had dried himself off, he threw on his usual orange jumpsuit. And, for the first time since the day he had gotten it, he grabbed his new headband and tied it around his head, signifying his rank as a genin of the village. He swiveled around to meet his own reflection staring back at him in the mirror.' _Man… I look like death.'_

It wasn't too much of an exaggeration. Naruto was ghostly pale. A light sheen of cold sweat clung to his brow. His skin was clammy. The dark circles under his eyes were incredibly prominent, and his eyes seemed dull. He looked ill.

The stress of recent days coupled with the lack of sleep was taking a tortuous toll on his body. He decided not to think on it any more. Thinking about how bad he felt would only make him feel worse. He looked at the clock which now read 4:45am. It was time to leave. He finished packing his bag with ninja tools and opened the front door. It was time to train.

He made his way through town, thankful no one had seen him in his current state yet. As he caught sight of the training grounds he noticed that both Sasuke and Sakura were already there, but his sensei was nowhere to be found. Of course, he was late again.

As he closed in on his two teammates, he realized he had already been spotted. Not only that, but they were staring at him as if he were an alien or something.

"What?"

"You look terrible." Sasuke stated the obvious.

Sakura jumped up from her spot on the ground, "Yeah Naruto! You look like you haven't slept in days! What's wrong?"

Wow. Even Sakura was worried about him for once? He must really look awful.

"It's nothing," He said, trying to play it cool, "I just couldn't really sleep last night. I was just nervous about today, that's all." No way was he telling them the truth.

"Well quit doing that!" Sakura shouted, "You're a ninja now, if you keep losing sleep, you're going to get yourself killed!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry Sakura-chan." He turned his gaze on Sasuke, who looked back at him with a brow raised. He didn't seem convinced, but didn't press him further on the issue.

Naruto figured it would still be awhile before Kakashi showed up, so he trudged over in front of tree and plopped down onto the grass. Before he knew it, his eyelids had closed on him and his body drug him into a deep sleep.

* * *

"HEY BAKA! WAKE UP! CHA!"

Naruto's head instantly hegan pounding. What the hell?

Reluctantly, Naruto forced his eyelids to part open and immediately squinted in pain as the bright rays of the sun blasted into his vision. He couldn't see anything but blurry figures for a moment, but then his surroundings started coming into focus.

There, looking down at him with a red face and a shaking fist was Sakura. ' _Yikes, Sakura-chan looks really mad at me.'_

"Sakura-chan, what the…" He trailed off.

"You fell asleep Naruto! And Kakashi-sensei is here. Come on! We have to start training now!" She told him impatiently.

' _I fell asleep? I didn't have a nightmare. I don't even remember dozing off. Man, I must have really been exhausted.'_ He deduced.

"Alright! I'm coming!" He announced.

Naruto and Sakura walked over to where their sensei was standing with a hand on his hip and his usual reading material in the other hand. Sasuke was already there waiting for them.

Kakashi glanced up from his book and became rooted to the spot when he got a good look at his blonde haired student. He looked like every single ounce of his energy had been sucked out of him. He looked a lot like a zombie in Kakashi's opinion.

"Sorry Kakashi-sensei," Naruto announced as he stumbled over to join them, "I just dozed off, ya know? What time is it anyway?"

"7:00." Came Sasuke's reply.

"7:00?! Where were you sensei?! You were late again!" Naruto fussed.

"Sorry about that. I guess I just got lost on the path of life."

"You liar!" Shouted both Naruto and Sakura at the same time.

"Alright, alright. Naruto, can I speak with you alone for a moment?" Kakashi asked him.

Naruto was caught off guard at the request. "Uh, sure Kakashi-sensei, I guess so." And with that Naruto followed Kakashi-sensei over the edge of forest, leaving a confused Sasuke and Sakura behind.

* * *

Something was really bothering Sakura. She couldn't get over the way Naruto was behaving. A part of him still seemed like the same Naruto, but another part of him seemed like a completely different person. It was so strange.

"Sakura, have you noticed something off about Naruto?" Sasuke questioned her.

"Yeah, Sasuke-kun, I never thought I'd say this, but I'm worried about him. He's been acting differently, and he hasn't been getting any sleep. He looks like he's dead almost." Sakura had never been one to think about Naruto too much, but ever since his out of character behavior yesterday, she had been curious. Obviously something was troubling him.

"Do you think it has something to do with Iruka-sensei's passing?"

"What do you mean Sasuke-kun?" She looked at him with a curious expression. She also momentarily tried to remember Sasuke ever saying this many words to her.

"I mean Iruka-sensei took an interest in Naruto. And now he's gone." Sasuke explained.

"Hmm I had never noticed. I bet Naruto looked up to him. Although you'd never know it by his attitude. But that's Naruto I guess. Maybe… maybe he's hurting." She said, seeming a bit troubled by the thought.

Sasuke didn't look so sure. "No, I think it's more than that. Yes he's probably hurting over Iruka-sensei, but I can't help but feel like there's something else. Something else must have happened that night." He reasoned.

Sakura turned her sight over to the edge of the forest where Kakashi and Naruto had gone to, concern etched onto her face. "What do you think it is?"

"I'm not sure," he said, "But I'm going to find out."

Sakura looked down at her feet and crossed her arms. ' _It sure seems like Naruto is dealing with a lot. And he doesn't have any family to help him through it. Maybe I should be nicer to him. He could probably use a friend.'_

* * *

Naruto and Kakashi walked along until they were out of sight. Kakashi wanted to make sure that no one was around to see or hear their conversation.

Naruto, having had enough of the weird silence, decided to speak up. "Kakashi-sensei, what's this about anyway?"

Kakashi let out a long sigh, "Naruto, what's going on with you?"

Naruto began nervously rubbing the back of his head, "What do you mean sensei?"

Kakashi crossed his arms and gave him a stern look, "Cut the crap Naruto. I may have not known you personally for long, but I've been given a very detailed report about you from the Hokage. I'm well aware of how you normally behave and this isn't it. Neither was how you acted yesterday. Not to mention that you look like you're a dead man walking. It's clear you haven't been getting enough sleep. So, spill it. What's going on?"

Naruto wasn't sure what to say. Should he tell him? He wanted to, yet he didn't want to. Obviously Kakashi must know about his status as a jinchuriki. But that didn't mean he wanted to talk to him about it. Maybe he could just tell him part of the truth to get him off of his back. Yeah, that could work. He looked up hesitantly to his sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei… do you… know what happened the night Iruka-sensei died?" He felt a pain in his chest as the words came out. Iruka's death would always hurt him.

"Yes, I do."

Naruto averted his gaze, unable to look Kakashi in the eyes with his next words, "Well… I guess you know that night Mizuki-teme told me that I have the Nine-tails inside of me. And… then later Gramps Hokage told me who my parents were and what happened twelve years ago. It's… just been a lot to take in. It's hard for me to sleep because I can't stop thinking about it." He explained.

Kakashi already knew about this, having been briefed by the Hokage.

"I see. Look, Naruto-"

"I'll be okay Kakashi-sensei, really. You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine, ya know?"

Kakashi knew Naruto was trying to play it cool, but he wasn't buying it. "Naruto, just answer one more question for me." Naruto nodded and Kakashi continued, "Has the Nine-tails spoken to you at all?" Kakashi was hoping the answer was no. From the limited knowledge he had of seals, he was sure that would mean the seal was getting weaker.

Naruto's heart leapt into his throat. He did his absolute best to not seem freaked out by the question Kakashi had just asked him.

"Er, no Kakashi-sensei. Should I be expecting him to?" He asked innocently.

Kakashi sighed again, "I don't know, Naruto. I'm not sure how it works. But you said he hasn't, so don't worry about it. Do you think you can go through with the training today? We can put it off until tomorrow. I normally wouldn't, but your situation is a bit unusual."

' _Boy, I can't hear that enough.'_ Naruto thought to himself sarcastically.

"I'm fine sensei. Don't worry. After all, I got in a power nap before you got here, ya know." He joked.

Kakashi smiled, "Alright, let's get to it then."

Naruto and Kakashi made their way back over to Sasuke and Sakura, who seemed to have been having a conversation of their own. Naruto was still feeling a bit zombie-like, but that little snooze he had gotten in before his sensei's arrival had helped a little.

Naruto went to stand beside Sakura, and all three turned their attention back to Kakashi.

"Alright everyone, no more delays. Today, we start our survival training. Now, there is a big punishment for failure of today's test." He explained.

The three gazed up at him in confusion.

"Test?" Sakura was the first to chime in, "What do you mean Kakashi-sensei?"

He, strangely enough, began laughing. "I mean this is a test. To see if you three really get to become ninja. That academy test was just to see who could get to this point. But if you should fail this survival test today, you're going back to the academy." He declared.

Both Naruto and Sakura's mouths dropped open and their eyes nearly popped out of their heads. Sasuke on the other hand looked absolutely furious.

Naruto's heart rate picked up while beads of sweat made their way down his forehead. he exhaled, then nodded. There was no getting out of it. Whatever Kakashi had planned, he would just have to do his best. He looked back at Kakashi with a new found resolve.

"Okay sensei, bring it on. We'll pass for sure, ya know?" He beamed.

Sasuke and Sakura both nodded in agreement. They were ready.

"Alright then," Kakashi said as he pulled two silver bells from his pocket, "see these bells?" The genin nodded. "Your job is to take them from me before lunch today. Use any means necessary. Those who don't get a bell, don't eat lunch. Also, there are only two bells. So, only two of you will pass. Someone on this team will be left behind."

All three members of team 7 looked shaken. No matter what they did, one of them would be left out. Naruto was determined that it wouldn't be him.

"Also," Kakashi continued, "if you aren't prepared to kill me, you won't be able to get the bells."

The three genin gulped simultaneously, each having their own reasons for being incredibly frightened by the concept of being left behind.

Naruto steeled his nerves, focusing on coming up with a plan for getting the bells.

"Now, begin."

* * *

The time was now 12:00, and none of them had even gotten close to getting a bell. Naruto had made the admittedly dumb decision to challenge Kakashi when he ran out of ideas. He ended up paying for it by finding himself on the receiving end of Kakashi's '1000 years of death' jutsu. Not fun.

It was time for lunch, and the sensei of Team 7 did not look pleased.

"Now, I've made a decision." He announced as the three genin looked up at him from their seats on the ground, "There's no need for any of you to go back to the academy."

Naruto smiled so hard it felt like his whisker marks might be touching his ears. This was great news!

"Because all of you are being dropped from the program."

Naruto paled.

"But… but why?" Naruto asked. What had they done that was so wrong?

"Yeah sensei, why are you so upset with us?" Sakura chimed in.

Sasuke simply looked on with a dark expression. He was not pleased.

Kakashi narrowed his lone visible eye, "Do you have any idea what this exercise was about? It's so obvious. Think about it, they put you in teams of three. Why do you think we do that?"

"Uhhhh…." Naruto had no clue. He hadn't given it much thought.

"Teamwork!" Kakashi shouted at them. "You are put into teams of three to work together, to use your talents and abilities as a cohesive unit. You were placed together because your abilities complement each other. Surely Genma told you that."

Naruto thought back on it. Yep, he had mentioned that. He was such an idiot. And now he wouldn't be a shinobi.

Sakura spoke up again, "But sensei, you only had two bells. How were three of us supposed to work together if only two of us could get the bells?"

Kakashi let out a frustrated sigh, "That was a test to see if you would be selfish or put the team as a whole first. You all failed miserably. Naruto you're too rash and unpredictable, that hurts the team. Sakura you allowed Naruto stay in harm's way after he was attacked because you were only concerned about Sasuke. And Sasuke, you think you're so much better than the other two, you think you don't need them, but you're wrong. If you're so much better, then why are you in the same boat as them? If you and Naruto had come at me together, you may have succeeded. None of you gets what it means to be a shinobi."

Naruto felt sick. He was right. He thought he knew what he was doing, but he didn't have the slightest clue. It wasn't about him. He should always put his teammates first and his own needs last. He couldn't believe he hadn't realized that.

Kakashi closed his eyes and visibly relaxed. "Look, I'll give you guys another chance after lunch. You'll have an extra two hours after you eat to get the bells. If you fail, back to the academy. Now, Naruto since you did the worst in our little training exercise today, and you attempted to eat early, you go without lunch. And you'll be tied to that post." He explained while pointing to the middle wooden post behind them. Naruto hung his head when he remembered his sorry attempt at trying to sneak away with one of the bentos before lunch time.

"Aw man…" Naruto sighed in defeat.

Kakashi began tying Naruto to the post with some thick rope, "And if either of you two try to give him any food, you fail. Got it?"

The two other genin nodded their heads and Kakashi made his exit once Naruto was secured to the post.

Naruto's stomach kept growling, it was so loud he knew the other two must have heard it. Lack of sleep and lack of food, he felt terrible. He only hoped that after this was over he'd have enough energy to make it to Ichiraku. He was so hungry he could have sworn he felt his spine touching his stomach.

"Here." Naruto was brought out of his thoughts by the voice of Sasuke. He looked down at him and saw Sasuke holding out his food to him.

"Wha?!" He was shocked that Sasuke was doing something so nice for him like that.

Sakura began to panic, "Sasuke-kun no! Kakashi-sensei said-"

"Kakashi's gone. We need to get those bells. If Naruto is weak from hunger he'll slow the team down. We need to get some food in him." Sasuke explained.

Sakura look down at her bento. She sighed before turning to Naruto, chopsticks in hand. "Here Naruto." She said as she held out some rice for him to eat.

Naruto was thrilled. He knew it was risky, but he was weak with hunger. "Sakura-chan… Thanks guys." He said with a weak smile.

Taking turns, Sakura and Sasuke began sharing their food with Naruto. He was just about to have a 2nd bite of rice when, all of a sudden, a puff of smoke appeared in front of them.

Out of nowhere their sensei jumped out of the smoke, a crazed expression on his masked face.

"YOU!" He screamed at them.

All three genin looked up at him with open mouths and fear coating their faces. This was not good.

Then, surprisingly, Kakashi smiled. "You pass."

* * *

After training Naruto was still starving and tired, but he was in a fantastic mood. They had passed the test. Sasuke and Sakura put the team's needs before their own, and therefore passed the test of teamwork. Kakashi-sensei explained that in the shinobi world, those who break the rules are scum. But, those who would abandon even one of their comrades is even worse than that.

This was a valuable lesson for Naruto. He vowed to himself from now on he would put the interests of his comrades before his own. He would always keep them safe. After all, that's a Hokage's duty right?

Since Naruto was still hungry, he decided he needed a bowl of ramen from Ichiraku to celebrate. He hoped he'd run into Hinata along the way to ask her to join him, but he knew she was probably with her team. He hoped that they could still hang out, he already missed her.

As Naruto began to run into town, he suddenly felt funny. He started to feel lightheaded, as if his head had helium in it. He stopped when his vision began to blur. Something was wrong. This wasn't the same as the panic attack the other day with the Hokage, but he still felt like he was going to….

Before he could finish the next thought, Naruto was lying on the outskirts of the village, unconscious.

* * *

When Naruto opened his eyes, he was in the middle of a dead sprint. He was so confused, how did he get here? Hadn't he passed out? He remembered feeling woozy, and then… what happened?

He wasn't sure, but he felt like he was chasing after something. What was even more strange, was that his body was moving on its own! He tried to control his muscles, will himself to stop running, but it was no use. For some reason, his body would not obey his commands.

Next thing he knew, Naruto's vision became hazy, and he could have sworn he was floating. Wait, he was floating! But he was looking down on someone. This person really didn't look like a person. They had red chakra surrounding them, claws, and fangs poking out of their mouth. Those eyes… they were crimson with black slits. Were those… tails? Nine of them to be precise. They looked strange being attached to a boy with blonde hair. Wait a minute. Blonde hair?

It was him! He was watching his own body! But how was this possible?! And what was happening to him?

He instantly clutched his ears when he heard a piercing shriek of terror. It sounded like it came from a woman. He looked down to see that the other him had cornered someone in an alley. She was a young girl, around his age. Short indigo hair and pale skin…

Hinata!

He tried to scream her name, but no sound came out. This was madness!

' _No! What's happening to me?!'_

' _ **I've taken over your body. That seal is too weak. I'm going to kill the girl, and then destroy this village!'**_ He heard in his head.

' _No! Nine-tails, why?! I didn't try to control your power! Why?!'_

All he heard in response was booming laughter as the other Naruto closed in on her. No, this can't happen. She had to get away. But he couldn't control his own actions. He watched helplessly as Hinata found herself trapped against a wall with nowhere to run. The other Naruto's hand raised up slowly, claws poised to strike.

' _NO! PLEASE!_ ' He pleaded.

He heard her cries of terror and then his vision went black.

"HINATA!" Naruto screamed as he shot up from the bed, eyes leaking tears once again. His breathing was labored, and his heart was beating at an alarming rate.

' _It was a dream. It was all a dream. Thank goodness.'_ He thought to himself. He placed his face in his hands and attempted to calm his breathing and heart rate. That was the worst nightmare ever. It seemed so real, he was still having to convince himself that it didn't happen. He never wanted to see that again as long as he lived.

Naruto took one look around the pristine white room and immediately knew where he was. He had passed out and someone brought him in. Once his breathing had returned to normal he glanced down at his arms and took note of the fact that he was hooked up to an IV. He felt completely drained, utterly exhausted.

He turned his line of sight to the door when he heard it open, and in walked in a nurse with short black hair and a cheerful smile. He wasn't used to seeing that. Maybe the old man found out and made sure he had someone who would be nice to him. Or maybe she was faking, who could tell?

"Hello there Uzumaki-san, how are you feeling?" She questioned him.

"I feel so tired… like I don't have any energy. What happened to me?" He wondered.

She began writing something on his chart, "Someone found you passed out on the outskirts of the village and brought you in. A young man named Sasuke I believe. Anyway, we got you put in a room and hooked up to an IV. You were dangerously dehydrated. And it seemed like you were sleep-deprived as well. Not to mention you needed food. You should really take better care yourself Uzumaki-san." She told him.

Naruto looked down at his hands, "I see, thank you." He would have to thank Sasuke for doing that for him, although he was absolutely mortified that Sasuke had seen him like that. He didn't want to owe him one, but it appeared that now he did.

"Well, everything seems to be okay now," She began again, "Your color is looking better. We'll keep you overnight just to be safe, but you should be fine. Let me know if you need anything. Someone will be in to bring you something to eat shortly." She explained to him.

Food. He was still so hungry. "Thank you, I appreciate it, ya know?" He smiled weakly at her. To his surprise, she smiled back at him and waved before exiting, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

He wondered how long he could keep this up. He was supposed to be a ninja and thanks to his current state, he had been rendered unconscious from one day of training. That wouldn't do.

He didn't want to, but Naruto had put it off long enough. Once he got out of here, he would tell the Hokage about his nightmares. He would have to be able to sleep normally again if he wanted to function properly. That nightmare… What frightened him most about it was that he was sure that what had happened was actually possible. Nine-tails had told him he would try to take him over if he ever tried to control his power.

Just as he was about to lie back against the mattress, he heard the door swing open again. What he saw made his blood run cold. Anger pulsed through him painfully as the man made his way into the room.

Danzo.

He could hear the nine-tails snarling in his head, clearly thinking the same thing he was. ' _What in the hell is this bastard doing here?!'_

As Danzo began to hobble over, Naruto glared at him, making it clear that he was not happy to see him. He'd rather hang out with the nine-tails than Danzo.

"Hello, Naruto Uzumaki."

"What do you want?" Naruto practically spat at him. He wanted Danzo to know that his presence was not welcome.

Danzo wasn't backing down from his hateful stare, "I would like to speak to you about something important. Something beneficial to our village that you can help with."

"Tch," Naruto started, "Lemme guess, this has something to do with the nine-tails, is that right?"

Danzo seemed surprised for a moment, before regaining his cold, composed demeanor, "You're smart. Yes. That is what I wish to talk to you about. I want to offer you a chance to train and control that power. I could take you under my wing and make you a powerful asset to this village."

Naruto crossed his arms, never losing his defiant glare, "Not gonna happen. You just wanna use me and Nine-tails for power. Besides, you wanna keep me in the village being watched, right? Well that can't happen. I'm a ninja, I can't stay cooped up in the village. Anyway, the power you're speaking of can't be controlled. It's impossible."

"Oh, is that right?" He sounded skeptical. This only further angered Naruto.

"Yeah it is right!" Naruto practically growled at him, "the fox told me himself, and after experiencing his chakra, I believe him. You're only wasting your time. I don't wanna help you." Naruto turned his head to the window, not wanting to look at Danzo any longer.

"I don't believe that to be true," Danzo retorted, "the tailed beasts have been controlled before, and the nine-tails can be as well. Besides, if you don't agree to help me, I think I can figure out ways to persuade you."

That caught Naruto's attention. He whipped his head back to face him. "What do you mean by that?"

Danzo looked at him smugly, "I mean I know all about you. I know there are only a select few in this village who you are close to. They mean alot to you, correct? Especially a certain little girl from the Hyuga clan." Naruto's heart stopped. How dare he talk about Hinata? Danzo continued, "There is more than one way to draw out the nine-tails power, rage is a method. Once it's drawn out, you'll have no choice but to attempt to control it. It's not a preferable method, but not one I'm above using."

Naruto felt his heart rate pick up again, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you only have a few people you trust in this world. It would be a shame if anything happened to them."

Naruto felt hot anger well up inside of him. This monster was threatening his friends? How dare he?!

"You would never get away with that. The Hokage would stop you. I'd stop you." He declared.

"Oh really?" Danzo didn't seem bothered, "I'm much stronger than I look boy, I could defeat you with a pinky. And as for the Hokage, he's nothing more than a pushover. Besides, he's too busy to keep tabs on me. Don't underestimate how far I'm willing to go for the good of Konoha. You will be made to control that power, whether you come willingly or not is up to you, but I suggest if you care about your friends then you had better not disappoint me. And you should know, you're not the only one who aspires to be Hokage. You have three days to decide."

He didn't give Naruto a chance to respond as turned and hobbled back over to the door, closing it behind him as he left. Naruto was at a loss. He couldn't let this man get what he wanted, he just couldn't. But if he refused… he wanted to believe the Hokage could protect all of his friends, but what if he couldn't? Danzo seemed to have no issue defying the Hokage, so just how strong was he? Strong enough to believe he could become Hokage apparently. Naruto was afraid for everyone, that bastard had even called out Hinata by name. He couldn't allow her to be hurt.

' _ **Leave.'**_

' _What? I can't do that!'_

Nine-tails scoffed at that, ' _ **Why not? If you're gone, he'll have no reason to harm your friends. He's using your friends against you, making it your weakness. He hasn't considered that you might run off. If he doesn't know where you are, how to reach you, then using your friends against you is meaningless to him. He's just using that ploy to get what he wants. He wants to control me, and I don't want to deal with a human as revolting as he is. I'd rather help you out so I can get away.'**_

Naruto hated to admit it, but the fox had a point. Danzo couldn't really manipulate him if he was gone. Maybe it was best this way. But he wanted to be Hokage, to be a shinobi…

' _ **Didn't you just decide earlier that you wanted to put your comrades needs above your own? I think this qualifies. Humans like Danzo are a dime a dozen, brat. Even if you get by him, there are more of them out there, waiting to get their hands on us. You're so-called comrades will never be safe with you hanging around them.'**_

He was right, he had decided to do that, to put everyone else first. And he wanted to keep everyone safe, no matter what. He thought back to his dream earlier, seeing himself about to strike Hinata. He never wanted that to become a reality. He would do whatever he had to do to keep it from happening. If Danzo made him try to control that power, then his nightmare may come true.

' _You're right. I know you're only being selfish; but you're still right. This isn't about me. To keep them safe, to keep her safe… I will take all the pain on myself. I'll give up my dream if that's what it takes. If being me means being alone, then so be it.'_

He didn't hear a reply from the fox, so he assumed he was content with that answer. Naruto let his head hit the pillow and decided that tonight, he would make his exit. It was the right time. It had to be done.

Even though his choice made him feel empty inside.

* * *

As night fell over the village Naruto began contemplating his next moves. He couldn't just up and leave. He needed to pack whatever belongings he could take with him. He was grateful that the Hokage had already given him his allowance for the month. He could use it to buy something if he needed it out on the road. Without making a sound, Naruto changed out of his hospital gown and back into his jumpsuit. He opened the window of his hospital room and surveyed the area, making sure no one saw him. Under the darkness, Naruto stealthily jumped along the walls and rooftops until he got back to his home.

He quickly ran into his bedroom, pulling out his backpack and stuffing it with clothes, supplies, and some instant ramen for the road. He was sure there were some more things he might need, but he could buy them with the money he had been given.

With everything he needed cramped into his backpack, Naruto took one last look around the room before he thought of something. He needed some insurance before he left. Insurance that nothing bad would happen while he was gone. He was pretty sure he was removing the danger by removing himself, but he wanted to be sure.

Naruto walked over to his small nightstand and open the drawer underneath it. He pulled out two crinkly pieces of paper, and went over to his dresser and grabbed an ink pen that was sitting on the top of it. He walked into the living room and sat down in front of the coffee table, trying to smooth out the wrinkles in the paper. Once he was satisfied, he began to write two messages. One to the old man, and one to her.

Hinata.

Once he had finished writing as fast as his hand would go, he looked over each message and made sure he said everything he wanted to say. He skimmed over the first letter and decided he was satisfied. He had warned the old man and asked him to keep everyone safe. The second letter, however, he took his time with. He wanted to make sure it was perfect.

 _Hinata,_

 _I'm so sorry you have to find out this way, but I'm leaving the village. I can't tell you why, all you need to know is I'm doing this to protect the everyone, especially you. I care about you a lot, and your safety means the world to me. I'm putting you in danger by staying, and I can't continue to do that._

 _There's something you should know, Hinata. That day I ran into you on the Fourth Hokage's head, I was totally defeated. I felt sad and a little hopeless. But you made my day bright again. The time we spent hanging out was amazing to me. You understand me so well, and you're always so nice and supportive. I feel like we have a real connection, and it's something I'll cherish forever. You gave me some hope again. That's why, even though it's hard for me to leave you behind, I'm going to take some comfort in keeping you safe by being gone. You deserve to be safe and happy Hinata. I want that for you._

 _You were the only person in our class who never had a mean thing to say about me. You always smiled at me and encouraged me. I didn't notice that until recently, but when I realized it I began to recognize how special you are. Never stop being you, Hinata. Don't let this world change you, like it's changed me._

 _I'm sorry, I can't say that enough to you. I hope one day you can forgive me, my friend. But it's okay if you don't. You don't ever have to. Just stay safe, please. That's all I ask._

 _Thank you for everything,_

 _Naruto._

Honestly, there was a lot more he wanted to say to her, but he didn't have the time or the paper. He was facing the reality of just how special she had become to him in just a short amount of time, and it hurt him that he wouldn't see her anymore. When he thought of not witnessing that cute blush on her cheeks again, or not hearing her call him 'Naruto-kun', he felt hollow. But he pushed forward.

' _It's what's best for her.'_ He told himself.

With that, Naruto made a sign and a shadow clone popped into existence. He would have the clone deliver the letter to the Hokage's office and he would deliver Hinata's. This would save him some time. He wanted to leave quickly.

* * *

Naruto was once again grateful that he had been a prankster. His stealth was out of this world when he got serious. No one had even spotted him since he left the hospital. He had placed both letters in envelopes, and raced off with his backpack in tow after giving one letter to his clone. Clone Naruto would sneak in, drop off the letter, and leave for the gate to meet up with the original. He knew it was late, he had intentionally waited this long in hopes that the Hokage would be home by now. He didn't want him to see the letter until morning. By that time real Naruto would have a huge head start, and he knew the old man would send someone after him.

It was a little after midnight now, and clone Naruto was in luck. As he approached the tower, he took note of the complete darkness coming from the Hokage's office. No one was there, making his job easier. He hopped next to the window, and did a quick scan of the area to make sure no one would see him. Silently, he slid open the window and maneuvered himself inside. He could barely make out the large desk inside the room, but thankfully the moonlight was helping him see. He dropped the letter off on the desk, and turned to take his leave.

With that taken care of, clone Naruto exited the tower and headed off toward the village gates. All he had to do was meet up with the original where he would be dispelled, and Naruto would be on his way.

* * *

Naruto always knew the Hyuga clan had a big home, but this was ridiculous. Naruto had decided to jump along the trees in the compound to try and see which window was Hinata's. So far he had no luck. Every room had belonged to someone else. He quickly sprung onto another branch on the highest tree, and then he saw it. It was her. There she was, lying in her bed asleep, completely oblivious to his presence. Naruto knew his time was limited. After all, these people saw everything. If he made too much noise and woke someone up, they would spot him immediately and it would be over. He had to take extra care.

He jumped onto the roof, making sure to be light on his feet. He was grateful that Hinata's window was already cracked open. He figured she must like a cool breeze while she sleeps. He squeezed through the open space and looked over her bedroom. It was large, and the entire room was covered in lavender. He smiled, that was exactly how he had imagined her room to be in his mind. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he took out the letter and gingerly placed it on her desk next to the window.

He allowed his gaze to fall on her one last time. She looked so peaceful as she slept, not a care in the world. It made him happy that she could sleep like that. However, he also felt a pang of guilt. He knew she would be hurt by what he was about to do, but he hoped she would forgive him. It didn't make any sense, since he wasn't going to see her again, but he didn't want her to hate him. The thought still made his heart ache.

Naruto sighed, and decided it was now or never, and now was best. He hopped up onto the windowsill, and carefully made his exit. He swiftly made his way out of the compound and towards village gates. As he jumped along the rooftops, a single tear escaped his eye while he thought about leaving Hinata and everyone else behind. It truly hurt him.

As Naruto neared the village gates, he was unaware of someone following him. Someone that had spotted him leaving the Hyuga compound.

Someone with pale lavender eyes and short indigo hair.

* * *

Naruto dropped to the ground, seeing that the area by the gates was abandoned. The gates were closed, just as they always were at night, but he could easily climb over them. Naruto thought someone should be guarding it overnight, but pushed the thought aside. He was just relieved that no one was here.

Or so he thought.

"Naruto-kun!"

Naruto stopped, frozen in his tracks. He paled. He knew that voice anywhere. ' _Damn! She must have woken up right after I left!'_

Reluctantly, Naruto turned to face Hinata. There she stood, still in her lavender pajamas, clutching the letter he wrote to her chest. Her lip was trembling. He could tell she was doing her best to not cry.

This was exactly what he'd hoped to avoid.

"Please…," She began, "don't do this."

Naruto looked up at her with a sorrowful expression. "I have to. My time here has to come to an end. It's what's best for everyone, including you Hinata."

"What's best for me is to be by your side!" She shouted.

"Hinata, please. You're one of the few people that I feel truly connected to. I couldn't bear it if you were hurt because of me."

"How could you possibly hurt me Naruto-kun?" She questioned him.

He immediately looked down and rubbed the back of his head nervously. No, he could never tell her.

"I can't tell you that. I'm sorry. But I'm a danger to you and everyone here. If I stay, it will only cause heartache for everyone involved. So, I'll take the pain on myself, and leave this place for good. Everyone will be better off without me in the picture. Especially you." He felt like he was going to be sick.

Hinata's eyes began leaking, and her whole body started to tremble. "Naruto-kun, please. If you left, I would feel empty. You've been my inspiration for so long. You're my hero. I can't go on if you aren't here. Naruto-kun please stay… I-I love you! I love you so much! P-Please stay here. Or take me with you! But d-don't l-leave me a-alone." She stuttered out, not from shyness, but from her crying.

Naruto felt his heart skip a beat. Hinata loved him? His chest felt like it would explode, his stomach was flip-flopping. He felt tingly, his head getting fuzzy again. His entire body was enveloped in warmth. It was that feeling he always got around her, only twice as strong. He couldn't deny when those words left her lips, he felt incredibly happy.

No one had ever said those words to him before.

' _So this is what it's like… to be loved… it feels so good.'_

Did he love her back? He didn't know. He hadn't thought about it. Was that what those strange sensations were about when he was around her? Did that mean he loved her?

He had no clue.

But damn, this just got a lot harder. Because even if she loves him, even if he loves her back… he still has to leave her. And it's going to break his heart even more now. This had to be worst night of his life.

"Hinata… thank you. Truly. No one has ever said that to me before, and it means the world to me. You've given me something irreplaceable." His face went from a sad smile to crestfallen, "But… I still can't stay. I'm sorry. There are so many things you don't know. I'm not like you, or Sasuke, or Sakura-chan, Gramps, or anyone here. Even if I explained it, it wouldn't change the facts. I can't live a normal life. I can't give you happiness that you deserve. I can't have loved ones or a family. That was robbed from me long ago. But now, I can do at least one thing to keep you and everyone else safe. I can stay away to keep you from getting hurt. That's what I want more than anything. It's even more important to me than becoming Hokage. You need to forget about me, move on. I… I want you to have a happy life Hinata. You can get married and have a family someday, but not with me. It's not something that's possible. By staying away, I can protect you. I could never bring you into my world, Hinata. You're too wonderful for that. I would only cause you pain, and I can't bear the thought of that." He was shaking. His fists clenched at his sides. This was the hardest thing he's ever had to do.

"I have to walk this path. It's made for me, and me alone."

Hinata's tears were unbearable to watch. She was drowning in them. Every droplet was a blow to his aching heart.

"P-please, Naruto-kun, even i-if I-I was s-safe, I would be so m-miserable without y-you h-here. I-I d-don't want s-safety. I-I want you! P-Please… just stay here… please!" She cried, putting her face in her hands to attempt to get some control over her sobbing. The letter she had was getting soaked from her tears.

Naruto was working hard to force his eyes from spilling over with his own tears. Part of him was screaming at him to forget about running and just be with her. But he knew he couldn't. It wouldn't be fair to her. He'd just make her miserable, and then she might end up hurt… or worse. If that ever happened, he would never be able to live with himself. The pain would be too great.

From the corner of his eye, Naruto spotted his shadow clone lurking in a tree. Perfect timing. Naruto and his clone were on the same page. He nodded, giving the signal.

"Hinata.."

She gazed up at his whiskered face through the onslaught of tears. His blue eyes were swimming with emotion.

"I'm sorry…for everything."

Then, Hinata's world went dark.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note!**_

 **Big change from the main story huh? I know, I know! Naruto's logic is definitely flawed, but at this point he's still only 12 years old and can be easily influenced. He's also afraid to tell anyone else what's happening. Kurama is using Naruto's fears to get his own way. He's afraid of Danzo controlling Naruto and subsequently him as well. Don't forget either, Kurama hated Naruto at first in the original story. That's how it's gonna start here too. Character development for the win! Also I know that last scene was eerily similar to the SasuSaku scene when Sasuke left the village in the original story. I tried a few other ideas for their confrontation, but this one just flowed the best for me. So sorry if you're disappointed with that!**

 **Next chapter we'll see more points of view, including Hinata, Sakura, Sasuke, Hiruzen, and Kakashi. We will see Danzo's later on. We'll also catch up with Naruto next chapter.**

 **Don't forget to review and let me know what you think about a pairing for Kakashi. Also, do you guys want the war or a completely different story? These are things I need to know!**

 **See you guys next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alright, I'm back! Remember when I said this would be a short chapter? I lied. Apparently I have a talent for rambling. Who knew? (Everyone who knows me raises their hand) I'm really happy with how quickly I've been able to update. I'm hoping I can keep it up, but I won't promise anything. I'm lucky that my job affords me some extra time to sit down and type. I'm really enjoying writing this story, so I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.**

 **I really appreciate the reviews so far. I'm beyond thrilled with the kind words. You guys are great! Please keep the reviews and suggestions coming, I need to hear what you think!**

 **Also! To those who have reviewed as guests. I always PM those who review my stories, but I can't do that for a guest review. If you want a reply, you can create an account to review.** **You don't have to be an author to create an account!**

 **This chapter will be all about the reaction of those in the village. Naruto will be in it a little bit, but this will mainly be the viewpoints of those in Konoha.**

 **On to chapter 4!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. Naruto is owned by M. Kishimoto.**

Hinata could vaguely feel herself breaking back into consciousness. Her mind felt panicked, frantic, like something was wrong. In her current fog she wasn't sure why she felt that way. Her eyes squinted open, noting that the sun wasn't up yet. For some reason she was cold. Where were her covers? Why did her bed feel so hard?

' _Am I outside?'_

Why would she be outside? It made no sense. She slowly sat up from the bench she had been sleeping on when she heard the unmistakable clang of something metal hit the pavement. When she looked down to see what it was, her entire world stopped.

There, shining through the darkness of the early morning, was a shinobi headband with the leaf symbol. Pinned underneath the metal was what looked like a crinkled letter.

The memories came flooding back to her. And just like that, she clutched her chest and began shaking like a leaf in the wind. She couldn't control the sobs that began to leak out of her body. Tears streamed down her face without resistance. She cried. She cried harder than she ever had in her life. She didn't care if anyone heard or woke up because of it. None of that mattered to her.

Naruto had left the village. She poured her heart out to him and he left her behind. The pain in her heart was so excruciating that she thought it would kill her. He left because he wanted to protect her. From what? What could be so bad that he needed to leave? She supposed that it didn't matter now. He was gone. She wrapped her arms around herself and began crying even harder than before. Sobs ripping from her without restraint. She was completely heartbroken.

She had to tell someone. Maybe… maybe if she told someone they would go after him. Maybe the Hokage would get someone to bring him back. She had to try something. She was desperate to get him back. He had always been alone for his entire life, and now he would continue to be alone. She couldn't let that happen. She had to pull herself together.

This was no time for crying.

With her newfound plan, Hinata willed herself to stop her crying and shaking. Her breathing began to calm down, and reached down to grab the headband and letter from the ground. She was sure that if someone was tracking him, they would need them to gather his scent. She took off towards the Hokage's office, noting that while she had been crying the sun had started to rise. She didn't bother to stop at home and change into her actual clothes. She was on a mission, there was no time for delay. She just hoped that the Hokage was already in his office for the day.

Hinata garnered a lot of attention from curious shop owners on her race to the Hokage tower. She wasn't surprised. A girl in lavender pajamas clutching a note and a headband while sprinting through the village barefoot isn't exactly a normal occurrence. However, she knew that the embarrassment would be worth it if she could warn someone in time. They had to catch up with him.

She sprinted up the stairs and burst through the doors of the building, again receiving many confused stares. She then turned to run in the direction of the Hokage's office, determined to tell him the news as quickly as possible. When she arrived, she didn't bother to knock. She practically blew the doors off their hinges when she came in. There, standing before her were the Hokage and Kakashi Hatake. They looked at her with wide eyes, shocked at her appearance. She on the other hand, was relieved that both of them were here.

"Lord Hokage! Kakashi-sensei! I need your help! Please!" She pleaded while trying desperately to catch her breath. Her lungs were burning to get some air.

The Hokage seemed to take her words seriously. He met her gaze, "We already know, Hinata. It seems Naruto has left the village. He left a letter behind. I assume you must have seen him before he left?" He gathered, eyeing the headband and letter nestled within her grasp.

She realized what he was staring at, and held the headband out to him, "Yes, I tried to stop him…," She began, attempting to force back tears, "but I failed. He knocked me out and left this headband with me. He also left me this letter behind. I thought you could use the headband to track him." She explained.

Kakashi seemed to light up at that.

"That's perfect. I was going to use my ninja hounds. His scent will be the strongest on the headband than anything else. Great thinking Hinata!" Kakashi exclaimed.

Hinata smiles weakly at the compliment, but she didn't have a sincere smile in her at the moment. She wouldn't until Naruto was back home.

"Hinata."

Hinata looked up to Kakashi, who wore a serious expression. Even though he wore a mask, his face conveyed emotion easily.

"We will find him. I'm going to track him with my hounds. I'm also going to meet up with Master Jiraiya of the Sannin. We'll find him together and bring him home. Don't you worry. Leave it to me." He said. He walked up to her and patted her on the head. Then, he took the headband from her hand and made his way to the door.

Hiruzen stood up from behind his desk, "Kakashi."

Kakashi turned his head to meet his gaze.

"I'm putting my trust in you. Do your best."

Kakashi let the words sink in, a look of determination painting his masked face.

"I will."

And with that, Naruto's sensei took his leave.

Hinata looked back to the Hokage, eyes brimming with tears.

"I'm sorry sir. I-I tried to stop Naruto-kun from l-leaving… but I w-was useless. All I did was cry and b-beg him to stay. I made n-no difference. I-I'm so s-sorry." She said as a few tears escaped.

Hiruzen held up his hand to silence her, "That's enough child. Naruto was determined to leave, you did the best you could. Judging by what he wrote me in this letter, he cares about you a great deal. Don't worry, we'll have him back soon." He assured her with a smile, "Now, please go home and get cleaned up. You have training today. Sakura Haruno will be joining you and team 8 today for training since Kakashi will be gone. Now, head home dear."

She sighed, she didn't want to train now, but it couldn't be helped. She nodded, and turned to exit. Today was going to be torture on her mind. She just hoped that Kakashi would find him.

* * *

Lord Hiruzen was at a loss. Ever since he had walked into his office this morning and found a letter to him from Naruto, his mind had been working at a hundred miles per hour. He immediately called in Kakashi to track Naruto. He also wanted him to meet up with Jiraiya, because he truly believed Jiraiya and Kakashi could convince Naruto to return. It was important that he actually wanted to come back, otherwise he would just run away again.

He glanced down at the letter again, unease settling over him.

 _Gramps,_

 _I'm sorry, really really sorry. I'm leaving the village. I feel bad that you're finding out like this, but I know you're going to send someone after me, so I had to do it like this ya know? I have to leave in order to protect everyone._

 _Before I go, I need to warn you about Danzo. I think you're already suspicious of him, but please keep an eye on him. He's bad news. He tried to get to me when I was in the hospital, but I knew what he was up to. He doesn't respect you Gramps. Please, watch your back. I would never admit this to anyone else in a million years, but… I'm afraid of him. He terrifies me. Be careful._

 _There's something else. Please, I'm begging you to watch over Team 7 and Hinata. Oh! Old man Teuchi and Ayame too. I don't want anyone close to me getting hurt or being put in danger because of me. Especially Hinata, I worry about her the most. Please old man, keep them safe. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if someone was harmed because of me._

 _I want to thank you Gramps. You're the only person who's watched over me all these years. I know you were really busy and didn't have as much time for me as you wanted. But still, you've been there for me. I was really mad at you when I learned the truth Gramps, but I understand why you did what you did. You care about me, I can tell. It means a lot. I'll never forget what you've done for me old man. Please, watch yourself._

 _Thank you for everything you've done,_

 _Naruto._

Hiruzen read over the letter again. He must have read it a hundred times already, but each time the remorse and guilt he felt was just as intense as the first time he had read it. He blamed himself entirely. If he had just made more time for Naruto, checked in on him more, maybe Naruto wouldn't have run. Maybe he would have told his troubles to Hiruzen, and they could have worked everything out. Naruto kept everything bottled up inside, and felt like he had no choice but to run. It was his fault, it had to be. He vowed to himself that when Naruto returned, he would do better. He would be there for him, ask him about his problems, and try to help him more. He felt like he had failed the Fourth Hokage and Kushina, and he had to make it up to them.

Something else that was bothering him was this new information about Danzo. He hoped Danzo was unaware of Naruto's departure. He knew that Danzo had many informants, so he wasn't sure what he did or didn't know. As far as he was concerned, the longer they could keep in the dark the better. Naruto's letter had made it abundantly clear that he could no longer trust his old teammate. He had already suspected that, but now he knew for sure. He hated it, but he would have to have someone tailing him from now on, waiting for him to slip up so Hiruzen could catch him. He couldn't allow Danzo to get his hands on the power he desired, otherwise Konoha and the other villages would be facing a serious danger. For Naruto to actually admit to being afraid was quite unsettling, he didn't take that lightly. He was certain Danzo's presence played a large role in Naruto's disappearance.

He sighed. He only hoped that Kakashi and Jiraiya would find him soon. He didn't doubt Kakashi's tracking abilities, or Jiraiya's spy network. It was more that he respected Naruto's ability to be incredibly illusive. His reverence for his unique abilities skyrocketed in the last several days. First he had stolen the scroll of sealing without anyone noticing, then he had left the village without being caught. Not only that, before he left he had snuck into the Hokage's office and the Hyuga compound without being detected, not a simple feat. Naruto had a large head start on them, and he was sure he had a plan to throw them off of his trail. Whatever that plan was, Kakashi would need to be ready for a countermeasure.

He made a hand sign and instantly an ANBU black ops member was in front of him on one knee. He had black hair and wore a bear mask.

"Yes, my Lord?" He spoke.

"Kakashi Hatake is currently being sent on an S-rank mission. He will not be able to oversee the training and missions of team 7 for a while. I need you to make Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha aware of their new temporary arrangements. Haruno will be doing training with Team 8 and Kurenai Yuhi, while Uchiha will be training with Team 10 and Asuma Sarutobi. Please go to both immediately and give them the news." He ordered.

"Yes, Lord Hokage." And he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

The Hokage sighed again. He still couldn't believe he had allowed this to happen. He wished he could go look for Naruto himself, but his Hokage duties would not allow it. However, at least while he was here he could keep his eyes on Danzo and track his movements. Speaking of which…

He reached into a drawer in his desk and pulled out a scroll. He quickly wrote something down in it and then made another hand sign.

Another ANBU appeared.

"Yes, sir?"

Hiruzen held the scroll out to him, "I have a mission for the ANBU member in this scroll. This is highly secretive. Please make sure he destroys the scroll upon receiving it."

The ANBU received the scroll and tucked it into his jacket, "Yes, my Lord, right away!" He said as he too disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Now all he had to do was wait. He needed someone highly skilled to tail Danzo, someone that would not be caught, and he had someone in particular in mind.

* * *

By the time Kakashi had reached a few miles outside of the village, he could no longer track Naruto's scent on his own. He decided it was time to bring in his ninja hounds. He bit down on his thumb and drew blood. He then went through a series of hand signs and slammed his hand onto the dirt path, "Summoning jutsu!"

A cloud of smoke appeared where his hand had been, and after the smoke faded there were eight ninja hounds, each one having a unique appearance. They all wore blue outfits with the leaf symbol on their foreheads.

"What can we do for ya Kakashi?" Asked the pug. He was the smallest of all the dogs.

He reached into his pocket and held out the headband, "Naruto Uzumaki has left the village. We need to find him as soon as possible. This is his headband, you should be able to track him with it." He explained.

The hounds all gathered and sniffed the headband. Then, the small pug spoke up, "We've got the scent Kakashi, follow us!"

"Thanks Pakkun!" exclaimed Kakashi. He was more than ready to get a move on. Naruto had gotten several hours ahead of them, so they needed to make up that ground. He needed to find him before an enemy did.

Ever since Kakashi had been called into the Hokage's office early this morning, he has been wracking his brain trying to figure out why Naruto had left. He felt like such a fool. Naruto had been showing signs of severe fatigue yesterday. He should have pressed him more on it, or he should have postponed training that day so he could talk to him more.

' _Who am I kidding?',_ He thought to himself, ' _My mistakes with Naruto began long before now. If I had just been there for him instead of keeping an eye on him from afar, then maybe he wouldn't be in this situation.'_

Yes, Kakashi had been watching him all this time. No one knew, not even the Hokage. But, Naruto was his sensei's only son. He had to keep watch over him, make sure he didn't get hurt. But, he had failed. While he hadn't let Naruto get hurt physically, Naruto's heart and mind had been severely damaged by his upbringing, that wasn't hard to see. After a certain amount of years, Kakashi thought about coming to him then, but he didn't out of fear. He was afraid Naruto would hate him for not being there for him earlier. He cringed mentally at his own stupidity. So what if Naruto had hated him? He would have gotten over it in time probably, and then he would have had someone who cared for him. Someone who he knew would always be there for him.

There was no getting around it in Kakashi's mind. He had let his sensei down. He knew Minato would be appalled at what was going on right now.

' _Minato-sensei… I'm so sorry, I allowed it to get to this point. I should have taken better care of Naruto, been more than just a sensei to him… just like you were to me. But I promise when I find him, things will be different. I swear it!'_

It wasn't just a promise to his late sensei, it was a promise to himself. Naruto would have someone to rely on. No matter what.

* * *

Sasuke was incredibly irritated at the moment. He had awoken feeling that way. As soon as the rays of the sun had peaked in through his curtain, he was annoyed. He knew that another day meant more wracking his brain over the most infuriating distraction there was: Naruto Uzumaki.

Something was going on with Naruto, that was easy enough to see. Sasuke had noticed it ever since the day they were placed into teams. Sure, the old Naruto was still there, but he had changed quite a bit. Others may have chalked it up to the death of Iruka-sensei, but Sasuke knew better. Something else was going on, he could feel it.

Things got even worse yesterday when Naruto had shown up for training. He looked like the literal definition of death. Sasuke couldn't believe how terrible he looked. What on earth could be troubling him that much? Naruto had tried to throw out some lamebrain excuse about being too excited to sleep, but Sasuke didn't believe it for a second.

Then an even bigger surprise came yesterday afternoon after the bell test Kakashi had given them. He was thankful that they had passed, he couldn't afford to spend another year at the academy, that was for sure. On his way home, he had spotted someone passed out in the dirt. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the passed out figure was none other than Konoha's number one unpredictable knuckleheaded ninja. He let out a frustrated sigh when had found him. He must have exhausted all of his energy during training. Well, he couldn't just leave him there. So, he threw the blonde knucklehead over his shoulder and brought him to the hospital. Thankfully the Hokage had been there on business, so he was made aware of the predicament. The Hokage had thanked Sasuke and told him he would handle it from there.

Sasuke let out a frustrated groan. He couldn't understand why Naruto's troubles were affecting him so much. Why did he care what was going on with Naruto all of a sudden? It shouldn't matter to him.

He had known Naruto for a long time. He knew that Naruto was an outcast and had no family. He was probably the only one in the village who could understand Sasuke's pain and loneliness. Sasuke had even considered trying to be his friend a time or two, but decided against it. He didn't need friends for what he wanted.

And what did he want?

It was simple. Sasuke simply wanted nothing more than to see his older brother Itachi lying dead at his feet. He's wanted that desperately since his entire clan had been slaughtered, and nothing had ever been able to distract him from it.

Until now.

That's why he was so irritated. How had Naruto managed to get under his skin? He was nothing more than a loser, the dead last at the academy. Sasuke wanted nothing to do with him, and yet he couldn't help but feel he needed to help Naruto. He wasn't sure why, but it was as if there was an unspoken connection between them. He wondered if Naruto felt that way too. Perhaps the shared pain had made that connection possible. Although they had never gotten along, they understood each other in a way that others just couldn't.

One thing was for sure, whatever was wrong with him, Sasuke would need to find out and help him get over it. Right now, Naruto was becoming a huge distraction from Itachi, and he couldn't allow that to continue.

' _Whatever the dobe is dealing with, I'll find out about it and help him move on from it. After all, I can't afford to waste any time in attaining my goal. I will avenge the Uchiha!'_

Sasuke was brought out of his thoughts by a knock at the door. He hadn't been expecting anybody, so he wondered who would be here this early. He opened the door to find an ANBU in a bear mask standing in front of him.

"What is it?" He questioned him.

"Sasuke Uchiha," He began, "Kakashi Hatake is currently out of the village on an S-rank mission. Because of this, he regrettably will not be able to oversee your training. You will temporarily be training with Team 10 and Asuma Sarutobi. These orders are directly from the Hokage. That is all." Before Sasuke could say anything else, the ANBU had disappeared.

' _What the hell? An S-rank mission? And now I'm stuck being around than Ino girl all day? Great.'_ He thought sarcastically. He wondered if Naruto and Sakura would be joining him as well, or if they would be training with other squads. It wasn't ideal, but training was training. He would have to push himself either way. Then afterwards, he could question Naruto until he figured out what was wrong with him.

That was the plan for the day.

* * *

Sakura had already been up for a while going about her day. She had gotten dressed early and came downstairs to her mother cooking a delicious breakfast and her father drinking coffee and reading the paper. It was a normal day at the Haruno residence. She wondered how things would be different if she were alone like Naruto.

Ever since her discussion with Sasuke yesterday, she had begun to think about how Naruto never had any parents or family of any kind. Having a family to be there for her was always something she had taken for granted, she had never thought about how bad Naruto had it. He always put on such an act around people, making them think that everything was fine. However, she knew now that he was everything but fine. After seeing his condition yesterday, that had been obvious.

Sakura admonished herself for always being so mean to Naruto. It had started because she had gotten annoyed at his repeated attempts to ask her out. She didn't like him that way, so she thought she needed to be mean to him in order to get him to back off. Of course it didn't work, Naruto was persistent. And now all she could think about was how she could have been a friend to him if nothing else. She wasn't sure if he even had any friends. That thought really troubled her.

She had friends, she had a family. Her life was easy in comparison. Naruto had none of those things, and he was definitely going through a rough time. Who would be there for him? Who would he talk to? Sakura felt a pang of sadness run through her when she couldn't think of an answer.

Just then, she heard her mother poke her head in from the living room.

"Sakura, someone is here to see you." She called.

' _Ooh! I wonder if it could be Sasuke-kun! Probably not, but I can dream, right?'_

She made her way into the living room to see an ANBU black op standing by the front door.

"Um… hello.." she said nervously.

"Hello Sakura Haruno. I have been ordered by the Hokage to deliver you a message. Kakashi Hatake is currently away from the village on an S-rank mission. Regrettably, he will be unable to oversee training and missions for team 7 in the near future. You will temporarily be assigned to train with Team 8 and Kurenai Yuhi until he returns. Good day."

Sakura opened her mouth to respond, but before she could he was out the door and gone.

So, Kakashi was gone on an S-rank mission? It must have been an emergency for him to leave before filling them in himself. She wondered where he had gone to. She was curious to see where Naruto and Sasuke would be assigned during this time. She doubted they would be training together, considering adding three new members to one team seemed like a bit much, even if it was temporary.

' _Oh well, I wasn't expecting this, but the life of a kunoichi is an unpredictable one! I'll just have to adapt! And if I see Naruto today, I'll be sure to be really nice to him! I'll be a friend to him. Maybe it will help him get through whatever he's dealing with.'_ She thought hopefully.

In any case, Naruto had always been nice to her and, like many things, she had taken it for granted. She told herself that would no longer be the case. Even if she wouldn't date him, she wouldn't allow herself to be a reason he thought negatively about himself. He deserved some happiness.

* * *

Hiruzen tapped his fingers against his desk nervously. He couldn't stop fidgeting, all this waiting was making him crazy. He had attempted to distract himself with paperwork, but to no avail. He would feel much better once his ANBU agent arrived.

Just as the thought entered his mind, there was a flash in front of his desk. He calmly looked up and saw a young ANBU member with chestnut hair and a mask that looked somewhat like a cross between a fox and a cat.

"Ah, so you've received my message have you?" He asked the young man.

The ANBU straightened up upon being addressed, "Yes, sir. And I disposed of the message, just as you asked."

"Were you followed?"

"No. I made sure. I am alone." He assured him.

Hiruzen stood up from his desk and began to stare out the window as he spoke.

"The mission I am assigning you is top-secret. No one, I repeat no one can know about it. This is an S-rank mission, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," he answered.

Hiruzen turned to face him, "I need you to tail Danzo Shimura. I want to know what he's doing, where's he's going, and who he's associating with. If he goes to the bathroom, I want to know about it. At 6am every morning you will report to me the previous day's activities. You cannot be caught. Can I trust you with this assignment?"

"Yes, sir, of course. I will succeed." He spoke confidently.

Hiruzen exhaled, "Thank you, Tenzo."

* * *

So far everything had been going according to plan for Kakashi. He had been traveling along a path through the forest following Naruto's scent. It seemed at this rate, Kakashi would find Naruto in no time. Maybe he wouldn't need to meet up with Master Jiraiya after all. He knew the Hokage had already sent him a letter explaining everything, but he could easily send him another one telling him not to worry about it.

Suddenly, the hounds came to a complete stop and Kakashi froze in his tracks as well. They seemed a bit puzzled by something.

"What's wrong?" Kakashi asked Pakkun.

"Well, it seems Naruto was expecting someone to track him by scent. I can smell Naruto's scent coming from exactly one hundred different directions." He explained.

Kakashi let out an exasperated groan, "You've gotta be kidding me. Well, we've got no choice. We have to split up and check each scent. Maybe we'll get lucky and guess the correct one early on. Let's go!"

In an instant Kakashi and the hounds split up and took off in different directions.

Kakashi knew that he was supposed to be meeting Jiraiya in Tanzuku town, but if he could manage to find Naruto before then, that would be ideal. However, a part of him wondered if he would be able to reach Naruto emotionally like Jiraiya could. Maybe Naruto hadn't met Jiraiya yet, but that didn't change the fact that Jiraiya was Minato's sensei, and he is also Naruto's godfather. In Kakashi's mind, that could give him a leg up.

Of course he could always drag Naruto back by force, but at some point they would have to address the issue of why Naruto ran off. He had to want to remain in Konoha, otherwise he would feel like nothing more than a prisoner in his own home.

Kakashi was brought out of his thoughts when he realized he was getting closer to one of the scents. He was brought to the top branch of a tree. There, he discovered how Naruto had thrown off their noses. There, pinned to the tree was a small strip of Naruto's orange jumpsuit.

' _He must have torn up his jacket into many pieces and then spread them throughout the forest. I have to say, I'm surprised he thought of something like that.'_

Kakashi sighed. He knew that this had the potential to set them back at least a few hours, and that was time that they didn't have.

* * *

Hinata had forced herself to get ready that day. She vaguely remembers some members of the clan questioning where she had been when she got home, but she had not bothered to answer them. She was using all of her energy to will herself to her bathroom so she could take a shower and get ready for training.

As she stared at herself in the mirror, wearing nothing but a towel, she felt disgusted. She had never felt more negative about herself than she did right in this moment. In the mirror, she didn't see the shy Hyuga girl who pushed forward no matter what. That's what she used to see. Now, she only saw a girl who was a complete failure. She had failed to be there for Naruto like she should have been. She should have approached him years ago, but she let her painful shyness get the better of her.

She had failed to find out what was wrong with Naruto. She knew there was something wrong with him. It had been obvious. However, she had decided not to press him about it. She didn't want to put pressure on him to talk about it if he didn't want to. That had been a huge mistake. One she would always regret.

Lastly, she had failed to stop him from leaving. She had only been able to cry and beg him to stay. She had even gotten desperate enough to confess her love to him, hoping by some miracle that would be enough to make him stay. What a joke. She couldn't believe she had done that. It had been all for nothing, and he probably thought she was insane or something. Sobbing like that in front of him, pleading with him, telling him she loved him… he was probably repulsed by her. And it had all been for nothing.

He was gone.

She wondered how she could be expected to go about her day like everything was fine, like she wasn't breaking apart on the inside. Like she wasn't fighting the urge to weep openly every second she was conscious.

She pulled the towel away from her body, shivering involuntarily at the cool air. She turned to hang it on the rack and find some clothes to put on. She couldn't stand to look at herself in the mirror any longer.

She settled for her usual navy blue pants and top, along with her tan jacket and sandals. It was her normal outfit, slipping it on was just going through the motions for her. That would be what this day was about. Just going through the motions.

As she approached her bedroom door, she steeled herself before walking through it. She would have to do her best to put up a strong front for the outside world. They couldn't know how bad she was hurting, how broken she was.

She exhaled, and turned the knob to open the door. She swiftly made her way through the compound and outside of the gates. She didn't want to take her time and chance running into her father or Hanabi. Or worse, Neji. She couldn't deal with any of them today, it would be too much for her, and her bravado would come crumbling apart. If she cried in front of her father or Neji, she would never hear the end of it. She would never hear the end of how weak and fragile she was.

Although at the moment, she couldn't blame anyone for thinking that of her.

She began walking towards the training grounds, hoping with everything she had that she would get through the day without falling apart.

* * *

He continued leaping through the trees, over and over, hour after hour. He didn't think it would ever end. He felt like he had been doing nothing but this for days, even though it had only been hours. At this point it was just muscle memory. He had shut his mind off to what his body was doing long ago.

No, he couldn't focus his mind on moving, because his brain was too overcome with the gut wrenching pain in his heart. It was too focused on the horrible emptiness he felt. It was too preoccupied on how dead he was on the inside, like his very soul had been extracted.

He wasn't sure when he had stopped watching where he was going. Maybe it was hours ago. Maybe it had only been a few minutes. Who knows? He couldn't see the forest anymore. All he could see was her face.

Her expression full of sadness and heartbreak.

Her eyes red and puffy, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks.

Her lips quivering as she cried and pleaded with him not to go.

He could still hear her voice in his ears too. Her confession ringing over and over again in his ears.

 _I love you!_

 _I don't want safety! I want you!_

 _I would be miserable without you..._

 _Please… just stay here…_

It was torture. He felt like he was slowly slipping into madness from the overwhelming pain he felt. He didn't even notice the tears that began to slip from his eyes.

' _ **Snap out of it kid! Those leaf ninja are already tracking you, stay sharp!'**_

Naruto blinked away his daydream.

' _Easy for you to say. You saw what happened. You heard what she said to me…'_

' _ **So what? You're going to start doubting yourself because of some girl?'**_ The fox yelled in his head.

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed, and his sadness was quickly replaced with anger, ' _She's not just some girl! She's anything but just some girl! She's amazing! She's the first person to tell me that they love me. She's perfect! And I…'_

He paused.

He let her down. He left her behind after all that. After she poured her heart out to him. He knew it was what needed to be done… but that didn't make it any easier. He broke her heart.

She must hate him now. She must think he's an awful human being. She probably never wants to see him again.

Soul crushing guilt had taken up permanent residence in his heart. He would never forgive himself for making her cry like that. It destroyed him to see her that way, to know he was the cause. He would never forget the look on her face.

He had no idea whether he returned her love or not. The concept of love was so foreign to him, he didn't know what to think. It didn't matter, he knew that. He would never see her again. But he still dwelled on it. His mind and heart were consumed by her. She haunted his thoughts every waking moment since she told him she loved him.

' _ **I don't pretend to understand human emotions,'**_ the fox began, ' _ **but what you're feeling doesn't change the fact we still have to avoid whoever they sent after you. You were smart to listen to me about throwing off their noses. But eventually they'll track us down. You need to get somewhere they can't track you. Somewhere your scent will be lost to them. Somewhere even the Byakugan can't see…'**_

Naruto scoffed, ' _And where exactly do you expect to find a place like that?'_

' _ **Actually, I know of a place…'**_

Naruto landed on a tree and stopped his movement.

' _How on Earth do you know of a place like that? You've been cooped up inside of me for 12 years!'_

Nine-tails growled, ' _ **Bah! Must I explain everything to you, brat? Your mother was my jinchuriki, and she wasn't from that damned Konoha. There's an island that's abandoned now. It's called Uzushiogakure. If we go there it will be very hard for someone to track us down.'**_ He explained.

' _Well I didn't know that!',_ He countered, ' _Anyway, do you know how to get there?'_

' _ **Yes. But you need supplies first. Find some quick and let's get moving.'**_

' _But wait! I look like me! If someone from Konoha comes around and asks questions, the people in town will just point them in my direction! What do I do about that?'_ He questioned.

The fox let out a groan, ' _ **Baka. Just use that jutsu where you transform. Moron…'**_

"Oh yeah!" He said out loud. He would just use the transformation jutsu before he entered town. That way no one would be able to recognize him. Then they would go to Uzu and hopefully lose whoever was tracking them.

Naruto was actually grateful that Nine-tails was speaking to him. Even though they didn't like each other, it was a distraction. Because if it got too quiet, he would just begin to think about pale lavender eyes filled with tears.

He would deal with anything to take his mind off of his own broken heart.

' _Hey, Nine-tails?'_

' _ **Hmph. What is it?'**_

He hesitated, ' _Well..I was wondering…'_

' _ **Just spit it out!'**_

' _Well… we're going to be each other's only company for a while now. So I was hoping I could call you by your real name.'_ He explained.

Nine-tails didn't say anything for a moment. Naruto was hoping he hadn't angered him.

' _ **You want to know my name?'**_

' _Well… Yeah.'_ Naruto was curious. He did have one right?

' _ **Kurama.'**_

' _What?'_

' _ **That's my name. Kurama.'**_ He responded.

' _Kurama… I like it.'_

* * *

He sighed in comfort as he relaxed into the plushy corner booth of his favorite tavern. The sake had drowned away his inhibitions as usual, and now all of that was replaced with high spirits and a warm feeling in his cheeks. He giggled lecherously as the the two blonde beauties on either side of him began to cuddle closer to him as he told his old war stories.

This was always the highlight of his week. He would save up his earnings from his many erotic novels currently on the market, and then treat himself at the end of the week. Brothels, taverns, parties, this was the life. He threw his arm around the lovely lady on his left as he began enthusiastically retelling the battle of he and his teammates vs. Hanzo the Salamander.

He supposed a part of him missed the old days. Sure, he ran a spy network for Konoha and would always come home if his old sensei needed him, but it's not like the action-packed days of old. He and his old pal Orochimaru along with the busty beauty Tsunade. Together they were an unstoppable team. Now, their team is nothing more than tattered ruins of their former selves. He's a drunk old pervert, even he would admit that. Tsunade is a wandering gambler who does nothing but drink away the few earnings she manages to win. And Orochimaru… he'd rather not think about that.

This was his life now, along with maintaining his spy network. Great food, great sake and great women. What more could he want?

"Is that really what happened?" Inquired the blonde on his right.

"Of course!" He exclaimed proudly, "That's when we became known as the Legendary Sannin. Pretty great stuff huh?"

Just as he was about to leap into another one of his dramatic escapades, a felt a tap on his shoulder.

He shifted his drunken gaze upwards to see an elder gentlemen, holding a scroll out to him.

"Are you Jiraiya?"

He smiled giddily, "Why yes I am!"

"This scroll came by messenger hawk. It's for you."

He figured it must be the Hokage asking questions again, or his publisher wanting to know when he would be done with his next book.

He sighed and took the scroll from the man, thanking him. He unsealed the scroll and began reading its contents carefully, the task taking a bit longer in his inebriated state.

His eyes widened, and he audibly gasped.

"Uh ladies, I'm sorry about this, but I have to run. Keep in touch?" He said as he winked.

"Bye Master Jiraiya!" Both women said in unison, using a sultry tone.

Normally that would have floored him, but he was too focused on the document he held in his hand. He made his way outside of the tavern, allowing the cool air to hit his heated skin. He took a deep breath, attempting to lose of some his buzz from the sake. This scroll was different than any he had received in years.

He looked up to the full moon and closed his eyes, letting the news from the scroll sink in.

"Naruto…"

* * *

 _ **Authors Note!**_

 **Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I know, super gloomy right? Just stick with me, this story will have happy moments too, I swear! But I need the gloom and doom for the happy moments to really pay off. Anyway, next chapter will be an even split between those in Konoha, Kakashi and Jiraiya, and Naruto on the run. Lots of action!**

 **Don't forget to leave a review!** **I've gotten a few suggestions for a pairing for Kakashi, and I will make my final decision on that after next chapter. A lot of people like either Shizune or Anko, so tell me what you think! I've also had a few people comment about the war, let me know what you think about that as well! War or no war? Some of you want the war but done differently. It'll probably be a little while before I make up my mind on that.**

 **Thanks again! As always, see you next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello! I hope all of you wonderful readers are doing well. I'm having so much fun writing this story, and reading your reviews makes me super happy! I'm psyched to know you all are reading and enjoying the story. We still have a long way to go, but I'm hoping you guys stick with it. It's going to be worth it!**

 **So, this chapter was initially supposed to be an even split between people in Konoha, Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Naruto. But, as I got to writing it the chapter evolved into just being about those left behind in Konoha. However, this was possibly my favorite chapter I've written so far, so I hope you like it! Next chapter we'll catch back up with Naruto, Kakashi, and Jiraiya.**

 **I MADE A POLL ON MY PROFILE ABOUT KAKASHI PAIRING, CHECK IT OUT!**

 **Alright! Onto Chapter 5! DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto. Or Hinata. Or Sasuke. Or… okay you get my point. I don't own any of the characters. That honor belongs to M. Kishimoto.**

* * *

Lord Hiruzen sat anxiously in his seat, tapping his fingers against the desk. He kept exhaling every few minutes, trying in vain to calm his nerves. The realization of what he was about to admit was getting to him. Releasing this information to even a couple of people was bound to cause the information to eventually spread. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep it a secret forever, but if the secret leaked out too quickly, things could go south for him and Konoha.

Before him stood a young pink-haired kunoichi with her arms behind her back and her eyes shifting around the room, intentionally avoiding eye-contact with him. It was obvious that she could also sense the awkward atmosphere floating around the room.

Finally, the tense feeling was broken when the door opened and in came a raven-haired boy with pale skin and black eyes. Now that both Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha were present, he would be able to let them in on this secret too.

Today was the day. He would have to fill them in on what was going on. They would start asking questions eventually, and he would rather them hear it from him. He just needed to make sure he worded the news carefully. They had to know that this was top-secret, and they could tell no one.

He sighed and laced his fingers together in front of him. It was now or never.

"Good morning you two. I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you here today."

Sakura's expression showed that she was thinking just that, "Sir, if this is about our team shouldn't we wait for Naruto?"

Hiruzen winced.

"This is about Naruto, isn't it?" Sasuke guessed.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I would normally keep you both in the dark, but you'll find out eventually anyway. You're aware that Kakashi is on an S-ranked mission, correct?" He asked them.

Both genin nodded.

"Well, that mission is a retrieval mission. I ordered Kakashi to meet up with Jiraiya of the Sannin, and track down Naruto. In the early hours of the morning yesterday, Naruto left the village with no intent to return. Thanks to Hinata we know he fled around 1:00 in the morning. Kakashi is tasked with bringing him home." He explained.

Both genin seemed absolutely stunned, especially Sakura.

"But, Lord Hokage, I don't understand… why would Naruto leave the village? He… he wants to become Hokage! It doesn't make any sense!" She was frantic.

Sasuke had seemingly calmed down a bit, "What's being kept from us? Sir, I know Naruto's been dealing with something other than Iruka-sensei's death."

Hiruzen had already planned on telling them that part too. As Naruto's teammates, they needed to know the truth. He was just surprised to see that Sasuke had already figured that much out.

"Very well, I had already planned on informing you anyway," He began. He had their full attention, "Naruto's upbringing has been most unusual. You both know Naruto is an orphan. He went many years without knowing who his parents were. He has no living relatives. If you two have been attention, you may have also noticed that until recently Naruto had no friends either."

Sakura looked down in shame. She felt responsible for that. Even though she wasn't the only one being mean to him, she certainly hadn't helped things.

"There's a big reason for that. Many of the adults throughout the village have urged their children to keep away from him. Not only that, but many in your generation have emulated their seniors in their treatment of Naruto. He has been scorned, insulted, ignored, and feared his entire life. It's been hard for him. Though he has always hidden it well, wearing the mask of a smile and a laugh."

"But Lord Hokage," Sakura interjected, "Why are people so mean to him? Did he do something bad?"

Hiruzen's face turned serious. His expression held a slight hint of anger, "On the contrary, Naruto is completely innocent of any wrongdoing. The reason he is feared and hated by many is because of something that happened to him long ago…"

He paused. His next words were very important.

"Before I continue, I want you two to realize something. Naruto is Naruto. He is not a bad person, and certainly not someone to be feared like some people believe. What I'm about to tell you is an S-rank secret. You are not to disclose this to anyone, as it is against the law to do so. Do you understand?"

Both Sasuke and Sakura nodded, both standing on edge waiting for him to continue.

"Twelve years ago on October 10th, the nine-tailed fox attacked Konoha and killed many people. It was a devastating day for this village. You are both aware that the nine-tails was defeated by the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. What very few know are the details of what exactly occurred that night. I'm going to tell you that right now."

Sakura was holding her breath, while Sasuke was hanging on to every word.

"The nine-tails, at the time, was not a beast that simply roamed free. He was sealed inside of a person at the time. Those who contain these tailed-beasts are known as jinchuriki. The jinchuriki of the nine-tails at the time was a woman by the name of Kushina Uzumaki…"

"Naruto's mother…" Sasuke guessed. Sakura gasped.

Hiruzen nodded, "Yes. Kushina contained the nine-tails for years, but due to childbirth her seal had weakened, and the nine-tails escaped. Unfortunately those who were watching over the seal during the birth are no longer with us, so the details of the escape are unknown to us. You should know, that when a jinchuriki loses their tailed-beast, they die automatically. Kushina initially survived, but she would not live much longer." He paused, "Kushina had managed to use her remaining strength to restrain the nine-tails, while Lord Fourth thought of a solution. You see, Minato and Kushina were married."

Both genin stood mouth agape, eyes wide. They were shocked into silence.

"Yes, the Fourth Hokage was Naruto's father. We kept it a secret because he had many enemies who would have targeted Naruto at the first opportunity. Anyway, there was only one way to stop the beast at that point. Kushina was too weak to endure the nine-tails being sealed into her again, as she was dying. And Minato's chakra was not enough to contain the full strength of Nine-tails. So you see, there was only one option." Hiruzen explained, giving them a chance to let the information sink in.

"Naruto… Naruto was the option wasn't he?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura looked at him with wide eyes, her breathing becoming shallow.

"You're right. The Uzumaki clan from Uzushiogakure are ideal for containing the nine-tails. They possess powerful chakra and life force. Naruto inherited this from his mother. However, his body was still too small to contain all of the nine-tails chakra. So Minato did what he had to. He sacrificed himself to use the reaper death seal, splitting the beast's chakra in half and sealing one half inside of himself. The other half of the nine-tails he sealed into Naruto using an eight tetragram seal. Thus, making Naruto the new jinchuriki of the nine-tails. Minato and Kushina then succumbed to their injuries and died, leaving Naruto behind." There, he had explained everything to them. He only wondered now how they would react. He tried to read their faces, hoping they would respond appropriately. Sasuke seemed to be deep in thought, while Sakura looked like she was about to cry.

RIght on cue, Sakura's eyes welled up with fresh tears, "B-but… no I don't understand… how come no one knew?"

He closed his eyes, the shame of his past mistake building up inside of him again, "It was my doing. You see, I had hoped that Naruto could have a normal life, at least for awhile. I didn't want the burden of being a jinchuriki to overwhelm him, so I made a law forbidding anyone from talking about the nine-tails. Naturally, it did nothing to help. Many adults simply looked at him with contempt and fear, and cast him aside. He's been through so much…"

Sakura screwed her eyes shut, but the tears flowed out anyway. She clenched her fists tightly at her side and began trembling slightly. Hiruzen had expected some things, but tears were not among them.

Sasuke glanced over at Sakura with a troubled expression, "Sakura… why are you…?" he trailed off.

"Because I'm guilty!" She shouted, surprising both Sasuke and the Hokage, "I've been so mean to Naruto over the years. I just thought he was annoying so I pushed him aside and called him a loser. I- I had no idea what he was dealing with. No friends, no family, and now the nine-tails?! I can't believe how terrible I've been… poor Naruto! I'm so sorry…" She hiccupped and sniffled as the tears flowed down her face. Sasuke appeared to be unusually distressed at Sakura's reaction, and the Hokage wasn't sure what to say. He certainly couldn't fault Sakura, how could she have known? Of course, it's never okay to bully someone, but she is only a child and she is obviously remorseful for her actions. He sighed, hoping his next words would be of some value to her.

"Sakura, I know how you must feel. Truth be told, I have felt responsible for Naruto's departure as well. I should have looked out for him more, checked in on in more often. I should have told him the truth long ago. You see, the night of Iruka's death, Mizuki exposed the truth to Naruto. All of those things happening at once took its toll on him, and he is still attempting to cope with all of the new information and emotions. I know that your sensei feels guilty as well. As do many of us." He explained.

Sakura rubbed her eyes in an attempt to stop her tears, trying to listen to his words.

"Sakura, all we can do for Naruto now is support him the best we can, however we can. Once he returns, he will likely not be happy. You see, he left the village because he believed he was endangering everyone by staying. He was trying to protect us all. In fact, he left me a letter before he ran. In it, he specifically asked me to watch over Team 7. We have to encourage him and let him know that he doesn't have to bear this burden alone, that we are here to stand by his side no matter what, and that he can always come to us for assistance. All we can do now is look to the future." He spoke with conviction.

Sakura wiped away the last of her tears, determination filling her eyes, "You're right! I promise from here on out, I will be Naruto's friend and comrade. He'll be able to trust me no matter what. You can count on me, Lord Hokage."

"And me as well." Sasuke added, surprising the elder Hokage.

He was thrilled that both had resolved to be there for Naruto. It was vital that once he returned, Naruto would have an amazing support system, and it appeared as though he would. He wouldn't be alone anymore.

"Alright you two. Before I allow you to leave, I must reiterate the seriousness of this information. Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing of what was spoken about in here can be mentioned to anyone except myself, Kakashi, and Hinata Hyuga. Also, if you must speak to one of us, make sure it is a private area where no one will be listening in." He ordered.

"Wait," Sasuke began, "Hinata Hyuga?"

Oh, he had almost forgotten about that, "Yes. Apparently, she and Naruto had a sort of confrontation the night he left. She tried to stop him from running away, but knocked her out and left her on a bench so he could leave. Please, I ask that if you must speak with her, you approach the subject delicately. She is quite upset over what happened. Also, she has been kept in the dark about the nine-tails and Naruto's parents. I ask that you keep it that way for now."

"Poor Hinata…" Sakura said, eyes downcast.

"Yes, sir. Don't worry." Sasuke stated.

"Very good. You are dismissed."

* * *

Hinata had awoken to another day. Misery filling her heart once again. She dreamed about him. She had once again seen his blue eyes looking into hers, filled with emotion. She had heard him say he was leaving, say he was sorry, and then she had woken up.

She willed her tears not to come out. If she began crying again, she didn't know when she would be able to stop. It was so hard to control her emotions since he was gone. Every second of her day was devoted to making sure she didn't fall apart in front of everyone.

Training the day before had been particularly difficult. Going through the motions of her taijutsu, sparring with Kiba, Shino, and Sakura, speaking with Kurenai-sensei, and pretending like nothing was wrong. It was maddening.

Yesterday she had trudged home after training, desperate to get to her bedroom and shut everyone else out. She hadn't come to dinner, something she would surely be hearing from her father about. She figured in order to keep her family from becoming more suspicious, she should probably come to breakfast.

After she had taken a shower and dressed herself, she made her way down to the dining area where her father and Hanabi were already seated eating breakfast. Right on cue, Hiashi fixed his stare on Hinata.

"Hinata, you did not join us for dinner last night." He said, stating the obvious.

' _Here it comes…'_ She said to herself.

"Yes father, I was feeling a bit under the weather after training." She explained.

Hiashi's expression remained unreadable, "Yes I see. Nevertheless, next time inform Ko so that he can tell me. I need to know if my daughter will not be joining us for a meal."

She bowed her head, "Yes sir, my apologies." She said. She raised her head and made her way over to the table and took her seat across from Hanabi. Before, Hinata's chair was always seated closest to her father and on the right side of him. Now, that was Hanabi's spot. It was a symbol of her superiority, and the fact that Hanabi was now the heiress to the Hyuga clan.

"Hinata," Hiashi began, "How is your training going?"

She strengthened her resolve, determined to hide her feelings, "It's going well Father. Kurenai-sensei said my reaction time in the gentle fist style is improving."

"Hmmm.. I see. Very good. But I will be the judge of that." He responded.

Hinata inwardly groaned. Why did her father always have to doubt her?

Hinata ate a few more bites of her food before excusing herself, explaining that she had to go meet with her team for training. Anytime training was involved, her father never questioned her. He allowed her to leave and Hinata darted out of the compound at top speed, not wanting to speak with her father another minute.

As she ran through the streets of the village, she couldn't help but notice how quiet it seemed. Sure, there was the normal sound of people conversing around the shops and restaurants, but there was something missing.

Maybe no one else would notice, but to her it was as clear as day. This village wasn't the same without him.

She shook her head of her current thoughts and kept jogging onward. Up ahead, she could make out the training grounds. She was the last to arrive, just like yesterday. Even Sakura was already there, and she wasn't even a true member of Team 8. She sighed, and wondered if they thought she was slacking off.

She came to a stop next to Kiba, who gave her a big toothy grin as usual. He was always happy to see her, along with Akamaru. Shino, she was never sure, because his face was always buried beneath his high collar and his round sunglasses. Kurenai-sensei always gave her a soft smile. She was quite close with her sensei, who had taken her under her wing since she had been removed from her title as clan heiress. And Sakura, who was always nice to her, seemed to smile at her even more brightly than usual. She wasn't sure what that was about, but she returned her smile nonetheless. She didn't know if her fake smile was convincing, but she was doing her best.

Kurenai cleared her throat and all four genin turned their attention to her, "Alright everyone, as I told you yesterday, Sakura is training with us. This is the setup indefinitely until Kakashi returns. Sakura, yesterday I felt like you were holding back on us. Please, don't feel like you have to do that. Treat us as if we were your actual team."

"Yes, sensei." Sakura replied.

"Now," Kurenai continued, "Today I would like to focus on avoiding attacks and countering. Not just stopping attacks, but dodging them altogether. If you can stop an attack without having to use chakra, you help yourself in the long run. The Hyuga's gentle fist style uses this technique very effectively. Hinata, would you join me for a moment for a demonstration?"

Oh great, that's just what she needed, all eyes on her. In her current state of mind, that's exactly what she didn't want. ' _Don't worry, just do some gentle fist and be done with it, then you can train.'_ She told herself. With that, she marched up next to Kurenai's side and got into her taijutsu stance.

"Alright, so Hinata is currently in her gentle fist stance. I am going to attempt to strike her, and she will evade and counter accordingly without using chakra. Are you ready Hinata?"

Hinata had seemingly zoned out, her focus not on anything in particular, not hearing what Kurenai was saying.

"Hinata? Hinata! Hello?!"

She blinked rapidly and shook her head, "Y-yes Kurenai-sensei, I heard you. Let's go." She said as she concentrated her stare on Kurenai.

Kurenai paused for a moment, seeming unsure, but then continued, "Right, okay. Alright Hinata, here goes." She said as she leapt forward to strike at Hinata's head. Hinata's basic instincts took over as she sidestepped the attack without difficulty and countered with a palm strike to the chest, making Kurenai stumble backwards. She made sure to withhold any chakra in the strike so that it would not harm her sensei.

Kurenai regained her balance and smiled at Hinata, "Excellent. Now, I'm not asking all of you to do it exactly like Hinata did it, but you get the basic idea. Evade without using unnecessary chakra, then counter effectively. Team up into two pairs, Kiba with Shino and Hinata with Sakura. Begin."

Hinata was relieved to hear she would be with Sakura. Not that she and Sakura were particularly close, but yesterday Kiba had been trying to get a little too close to her, and she didn't want anything to do with it. Sometimes he was a little overly friendly with her, so to speak. She nodded to Kurenai and then walked over to take her stance in front of Sakura.

Sakura got into her own stance, and smiled softly at Hinata, "Let's do our best, okay Hinata?"

Hinata wasn't sure why, but Sakura's attitude was making her feel a bit better. Maybe it was because… it reminded her of him.

"Y-yes! Okay!" She shouted before she could let herself think on it too much. Instantly Sakura jumped towards her and aimed her fist at Hinata's head. Hinata ducked and shot her palm towards Sakura's chin. Sakura spun out of the way and leapt behind Hinata. She swung her fist at the back of Hinata's head, seeming sure she would get her before Hinata instantly ducked, causing Sakura to lose her balance and tumble right over top of her onto the ground. As Hinata went to extend a hand towards Sakura to help her up, a look of recognition came over her face.

"Ah! I can't believe I forgot about the Byakugan! I wondered how you could see where I had aimed! I'll have to try to find a way to counter that!" exclaimed Sakura.

They went ahead with the exercise for a couple of hours before both pairs were completely wiped out. All four genin sat on the ground covered with sweat, attempting to calm their heavy breathing.

Hinata had actually enjoyed this training session. She found that she really liked training with Sakura as opposed to Kiba. It was nothing against Kiba personally, but because of his recent behavior towards her, she felt as though she couldn't be comfortable around him. With Sakura, it just felt like sparring with a friend. It was nice, and it took her mind off of things.

"Good work today everyone!" Kurenai shouted to the group, "Tomorrow team 8 has a mission, and we depart at 7am. Nothing major, just a regular D-rank mission. Sakura, this means that you will have tomorrow off."

Sakura deflated a little at hearing this. Hinata was sure that not being able to participate in missions was a bit of a downer.

"Now, you all are dismissed for the day!" Kurenai announced as she turned to leave her team.

Hinata wiped the sweat from her brow and used what strength she had left to get to her feet. She was hungry and could go for a hot meal, but she didn't want to go home just yet. She hated being at home, because she always felt more alone when she was there.

"Hinata-chan! Hey!" Right on cue, Kiba came running up to her, excitement lighting up his eyes. Hinata already knew where this was going.

"H-hi K-Kiba-kun." She greeted him.

"Hinata-chan, whaddya say we run over to Yakiniku for a meal, just the two of us? My treat!" He questioned.

Yep. She knew he was going to ask her out. He had done so many times already since they had been teammates, but of course she wasn't interested. She liked Kiba as a friend, nothing more. He couldn't make her heart melt like Naruto could. It wasn't even close.

"Uh s-sorry Kiba-kun, but I really should get going, I-"

"Aw come on!" He interrupted, "Surely you can spare an hour!" He insisted as he threw his arm over her shoulder. She flinched involuntarily.

"U-um K-Kiba-kun, I really don't think-" She was cut off once again.

"Come on Hinata-chan! Let's go!" He said as he attempted to lead her away.

"Hey! Dog boy!" Hinata heard as they both stopped in their tracks and turned their heads. The voice belonged to none other than Sakura.

Kiba's expression turned sour, "What do you want Haruno?"

Sakura placed her hands on her hips and began tapping her foot, "I want you to actually let Hinata talk. If you had, you would have heard her say that she and I already have plans for a ladies night! Right Hinata?" She said as she grinned cheekily at them both.

Kiba glanced down at Hinata. She knew right away what Sakura was doing, and was eternally grateful, "Yes! Sakura-chan and I are going to the cafe to get some sweets! Right Sakura-chan?"

"Of course! So Kiba, why don't you run along and go roll in the mud with Akamaru! We have places to be." Sakura remarked as her smile grew.

Kiba did not look pleased by this development, "Tch. Fine, whatever. See you later Hinata-chan." He huffed as he and Akamaru trotted away.

Hinata ran up to Sakura and uncharacteristically hugged her, "Thank you! He's been all over me lately! It's unbearable."

Sakura giggled, "Hey, don't mention it. Kiba comes on really strong and you're just too nice to tell him like it is. So, I decided my intervention was needed. Anyway, I was actually hoping we could hang out. I'd like to talk with you, just us girls." She confessed.

"Oh!" Hinata said as she backed off a bit, "Well that would be nice. I certainly don't feel like going home yet. Where would you like to go? We don't have to go to the cafe."

Sakura grinned, "Actually that sounds nice. I'd like to have some tea and maybe some anmitsu while we're there. Let's go!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Hinata added as the two left the training grounds and made their way through the village. They discussed their training, their teams, and many other things. Hinata felt like she could be comfortable around Sakura, and the number of people she felt like that around were few. For once since Naruto had left, Hinata's smile was genuine.

Once they had gotten to the cafe, Sakura ordered green tea and anmitsu, while Hinata ordered black tea and a cinnamon roll, her favorite treat. Hinata was glad Sakura had agreed to come here, as she loved sweets.

Once they had found a table and began to dig in, Sakura's expression changed abruptly, "Hinata, do you mind doing me a favor?"

Hinata wiped the icing from her lips and looked up at Sakura, "Yes, what is it?"

"This is going to sound weird but, can you use your Byakugan to see if anyone is following us or listening in on what we're saying?" She asked.

Hinata paused. What? Why would someone be doing that? She figured maybe Sakura would explain if she did it, "O-okay Sakura-chan." She activated her Byakugan silently, as the veins around her eyes bulged forward, and her once pupiless eyes showed pronounced pupils in the middle of them. She eyed the entire area, behind, below, left, right, up, she didn't anything that would arouse suspicion, "I don't see anything unusual." She determined.

Sakura exhaled, she seemed to visibly relax, as if something was making her tense up. She leaned in and lowered her voice, "I did that because I wanted to make sure no one would hear our conversation. I wanted to speak to you about Naruto." She explained.

Hinata stiffened, her eyes going wide and a unsettling feeling growing in her stomach, "Sakura-chan.."

"I know he ran off. The Hokage briefed Sasuke-kun and me this morning. And, I know that something happened between you two before he left. You don't have to tell me anything about that. I just want to know how you're doing. Are you okay?" She asked her.

Hinata looked down at her hands folded in her lap. She wasn't sure to be honest. Was she okay? "I-I'm fine Sakura-chan." She lied.

Sakura raised an eyebrow, "Are you really?"

Hinata sighed, "I don't think so, actually." She admitted, "But I want to be."

Sakura's eyes turned sad, "I'm worried about you. I know how you feel about him."

Hinata jumped in her seat, looking up to Sakura's worried expression, "Y-you do?!"

Sakura smiled, "Of course I do, I see the way you look at him. You love him. It's the same way I look at Sasuke-kun. It's not something to be worried about, I won't tell. And I noticed that a couple of days before he left, he started looking back at you the same way, just so you know." She winked.

Hinata's faced burned, her cheeks turning crimson as she looked down at her lap again, "Oh no, there's no way he feels that way about me. We were just friends. I mean, why would he like me?"

"Hinata! Don't talk like that!" Sakura scolded, "You are the nicest girl I've ever met. You're kind, gentle, strong, and you've got the patience of a saint from dealing with both Naruto and Kiba on a regular basis. Not to mention you're a beautiful kick-ass kunoichi! There's no reason for him not to fall for you!"

Hinata searched Sakura's face, checking for any signs that she was joking. There were none. Sakura really thought that about her. She wasn't used to getting compliments like that, especially when she was around her family as much as she was. It felt really nice for someone to say that and actually mean it, "Thank you Sakura-chan. That means a lot. You're amazing too."

Sakura's visage when from cheerful to somber in an instant, "No, I'm not."

Hinata was taken back by this, "W-what do you mean?"

Sakura sighed, "I've been really mean to Naruto in the past. I'm not like you Hinata, I let my frustration get the better of me. He's been through so much and I just piled on. But, when he gets back I'm going to be a good friend and teammate to him, no matter what. I've promised myself that. You need to promise yourself something too."

"Like what?" She asked.

Sakura smiled again, "Promise yourself that until Naruto gets back, you'll work as hard as you can to become as strong as possible, so he'll be super impressed, and so you'll always be able to back him up. And promise yourself that when he gets back, you won't hold back how you feel any more! Be confident and show him that there's no one else out there like you! You're not just someone from the Hyuga clan, or a girl who loves Naruto, you're Hinata and you're your own person too!"

Hinata stared at Sakura for a moment, in awe of the determination and confidence she exuded. She was right, if Hinata wanted to help Naruto, she couldn't keep wallowing in self-pity. She had to grow, find out who she really is, let her individuality come forth. And, she had to become as strong as possible, mentally, physically, and spiritually. She had her new goal.

For the first time since Naruto left, she felt a twinge of happiness. She had a new goal, and a new friend. A few tears spilled out from her pale lavender eyes, "Thank you, Sakura-chan."

* * *

Sasuke slammed his front door shut, making sure to lock it. He exhaled, and dropped to the floor. Ever since training ended that day, he had immediately sprinted back home as fast as he could, avoiding a certain platinum blonde who had her sights set on him.

Ino Yamanaka was really pissing him off. He shuddered at the memory of joining Team 10 for training yesterday.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Sasuke walked up to the training grounds to begin a new day of training. He wasn't sure how to feel being put with Asuma-sensei and Team 10. He didn't have a problem with any of them, except for Ino. Ino was such a fangirl for him, it was embarrassing. He couldn't stand her constant bickering with Sakura, or her ogling him every chance she got. And the way she shouted his name made him cringe._

 _As he came into the view of the others, right on cue Ino screamed out to him, "Sasuke-kun! What are you doing here?!" As she shouted, she ran up to him, giggling and blushing. He groaned in annoyance._

" _Quiet Ino," Asuma ordered her, "Kakashi is away on an S-rank mission at the moment, so Sasuke will be joining us for training until he returns. You are all to treat him as if he's a member of the squad, understand?"_

 _All three members of Team 10 straightened up, "Yes, Asuma-sensei!" They all said in unison._

" _Eeeep!" Squealed Ino, "This is exciting, Sasuke-kun training with us! Yay!"_

" _Shut up, Ino," Shikamaru began, "You're turning this into such a drag. Can you stop being a fangirl for five minutes? Jeez, women are so troublesome."_

 _Sasuke smirked._

" _Alright everyone. Today, we are going to work on our taijutsu. This squad could use some improvement in that area. Split into teams of two." Asuma told them._

" _I call Sasuke-kun as my partner!" Ino exclaimed loudly._

 _Sasuke rolled his eyes. How could the Hokage do this to him?_

* * *

Today hadn't been any better. Any time Ino had an opportunity, she was draped over him. He just wanted to train and get stronger, was that too much to ask?

Sasuke dropped his backpack and trudged over into the bathroom, stripping himself of his dirty clothes. He turned on the shower, and hopped inside, wanting to get rid of the sweat and grime coating his body. He needed to get Ino's germs off of him. He knew he was overreacting perhaps, but that Ino girl really rubbed him the wrong way.

What he found to be rather confusing was the fact that Ino bothered him a lot more than Sakura did. They both seemed to have the same infatuation for him, and both of them fangirled over him like crazy. And while Sakura's displays did get on his nerves, it was easy for him to deal with it. With Ino, he felt like he would die if he had to be around her for another second.

Maybe it was because underneath all the squealing and giggling, Sakura actually cared about him as a person. He didn't always think she did, and he detested that. That's why he's always been annoyed by his little fan girls. They don't even know him. They don't care about his feelings, they just like his "cool guy" facade and good looks. But with Sakura, it's a bit different. Underneath her tough exterior, Sakura has a kind heart. It's because of that quality that he feels that maybe she does actually care about who he is on the inside as well.

Of course it didn't matter. He didn't have the time for something like romance. Once Naruto was back and up on his feet again, Sasuke would be back to the mission of defeating Itachi, no more distractions.

He turned the knob in the shower and the spraying water came to a halt. He stepped out and dried himself of before getting dressed into a pair of black sweatpants and a white t-shirt. He didn't feel like going back out for the day. He needed to focus on how he would help Naruto once he returned. He never had a need for a friend, and the two of them have always butted heads, but maybe he could be Naruto's friend after all. Naruto needed people to be there for him.

What Sasuke found troubling was one glaring similarity between Naruto and himself. Naruto had gotten into this predicament because he tried to take everything on himself. He didn't reach out for any help, or try to make others understand. He tried to do it all alone. Sasuke had always been that way too, he still was. Now, he was questioning it. Was it wrong for him to be a loner? Was it wrong to try and do it all by yourself? He had always thought it was necessary, but seeing it on the outside looking in was different. He wasn't happy about Naruto doing it, so why was it different for him?

He sighed, maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was a mistake for him not to rely on the help of others every now and then. He had people who would be there for him, so why should he shut them out? It was all too confusing, and he mentally cursed Naruto for making him feel this way.

Speaking of Naruto…

' _I wonder what the dobe is doing right now…'_

* * *

She lay in the bathtub, soaked from the neck down. She had been in there for a while, replaying the day's wild events. Learning about Naruto, training with team 8, and her lovely evening with Hinata. It had been an eventful day indeed.

She had planned on being nicer to Naruto before, but now that she knew the truth she knew she had to do more. Naruto needed more than just a friend, he needed guidance, support, someone he could trust and depend on. A true comrade and teammate. She would do that for him, he deserved it.

Something else he deserved was love. That was one of the reasons she had talked with Hinata today. She knew Hinata loved Naruto, honestly most people probably knew, except Naruto of course. Naruto had always chased after her, until a few days ago. She remembered being pleasantly surprised after the teams were announced when Naruto immediately went over to speak with Hinata instead of her. The look in his eyes was unmistakable. It was clear to her that Hinata was special to him. He hung on to her every word like they were pure gold. He definitely had feelings for her too.

Even if she couldn't have Sasuke in the end, Naruto and Hinata have both dealt with a lot of pain and deserved some happiness. She wanted that for both of them.

She reluctantly stood up to get out of the bath whenever the water started to cool off. She grabbed a towel off the rack and wrapped it around herself, shivering against the cool air of the bathroom.

She wondered where Naruto was, or if Kakashi had found him yet. She hoped they would be back soon and everything would work out. Then again, Naruto was a trickster, so he might be hard to find. She was dying to know. She decided that tomorrow morning she would go ask the Hokage for an update on the situation. She wouldn't be able to relax until her team was back together.

Maybe they hadn't been team 7 for very long, but that didn't matter. They were still a team, and one of their own was going through a lot of grief and heartache. She wouldn't allow it to continue. She and Sasuke had vowed to be the best teammates they could be for Naruto, and that's what they would do, no matter what.

* * *

Hiruzen sat at his desk, eyes red, dark circles under them. He yawned for about the hundredth time that day. To say he was exhausted was an understatement. He had barely gotten a wink of sleep since this fiasco began. Even if he had the time, he couldn't get his mind to relax.

He was so concerned about where Naruto was. Was he okay? Was he hurt? Had he been captured? Any luck on Kakashi's end? There were so many questions and no answers.

Furthermore, there was the Danzo situation. Tenzo had been tailing him, and any minute now he was due to give Hiruzen his report. He hoped that there would be something worthwhile to come from this endeavor.

Just then, there was a flash in front of him and his tired eyes rested on the form of Tenzo, wearing his mask.

"Lord Hokage, I'm here to give my report."

"Yes, I've been expecting you. Please, tell me what you've found." Hiruzen responded.

Tenzo bowed before the Hokage, then straightened before delivering his report, "So far, my Lord, nothing unusual was discovered during my tail of Danzo. However, there was one point during the day that I was unable to follow him. His whereabouts seemed suspicious."

Hiruzen raises a brow at this, "Go on."

"Well sir, he seemed to enter an underground room that is situated in an old building in the village. I was unable to find an appropriate place to hide during his descent, so I could not follow without being caught. However, I planted a seed on him, so from now on I will no where he is constantly. He was down there for about an hour before he returned. From there, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He simply stopped by a shop to get some tea before retiring to his home." Tenzo concluded.

"I see," Replied Hiruzen, "Alright Tenzo. I want you to find out what Danzo is doing underground at all costs, do you understand?"

Tenzo bowed, "Yes sir, of course."

"You are dismissed."

And in a flash, he was gone.

So, Danzo was underground huh? This could only mean one thing to Hiruzen…Root. An organization of ANBU that Danzo had run for years. Hiruzen has trusted him with it until the Uchiha incident, where he officially stripped that power from him. If Danzo was still secretly running it, there would be hell to pay.

Hiruzen yawned again and pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked out the window of his office, wondering about Naruto once again.

' _Will this nightmare ever end?'_

* * *

She lay in her bed, finally feeling happy at the thought of sleep. They had a mission tomorrow, so she would need to get plenty of rest.

She kept replaying her conversation with Sakura over and over in her mind. She was so grateful to have someone so supportive on her side. She needed a real friend, and she felt like she had that. It helped.

But at night, alone in her room, her thoughts inevitably drifted back to deep blue eyes and whiskers.

As she looked up out of her window, she took notice of how many stars there were out tonight. They were so bright, and full of life.

They reminded her of him, and her heart hurt.

But she would not cry. She would move forward, stronger than ever. She would be strong for him. No matter what. She had already promised herself that. No more crying. No more feeling sorry for herself. She was Hinata Hyuga, a kunoichi, not a helpless little girl.

As she lay looking at the stars, she had no idea that elsewhere, someone else was looking up to the night sky. Someone with bright blonde hair and ocean blue eyes.

But he did not focus on the stars, no. They held no interest for him. What he looked at was the moon. It was full and beautiful tonight. It reminded him of her eyes, her gorgeous, pale eyes that mesmerized him. He felt more heartache every time his gaze landed on it, but there was no stopping it. He cursed himself when a tear escaped. He didn't want to keep looking, but it couldn't be helped.

If the moon was all he had left of her in his life, then he would cherish it, always.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note!**_

 **Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! What do you guys think about the SakuHina friendship? That was my favorite thing about writing this chapter. And, of course, Hinata cheering up a little bit is always good. Btw, I actually really like Ino, but Sasuke was always annoyed with her when they were young so that's what I'm portraying.**

 **So, Chunin exams. Big 1-3 chapter telling of the events, or just a short summary later on?** **Let me know what you want!**

 **Next chapter is all about Naruto and Kakashi/ Jiraiya's chase after him. See you guys next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Welcome back everyone! I hope you're all doing well. I really appreciate the reviews and feedback as always, you guys have been very helpful to me in planning out this story. So thanks!**

 **Again to guest reviewers, I can't reply to your reviews so if you want to make an account to review that would be awesome. You don't have to be an author to have an account!**

 **I'll be closing the Kakashi pairing poll tomorrow evening, so make sure to vote!**

 **This chapter is all about Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Naruto. We'll catch up with a few others next chapter as well as Danzo himself! Also I'm** _ **clearly**_ **taking a bit of artistic license when it comes to the exact location of Uzu. I'm sure it wasn't actually so far away from the mainland, but in my story it is. Hope everyone enjoys!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. Naruto belongs to M. Kishimoto.**

* * *

Another day had come and gone, and Naruto had finally reached the nearest town to his final destination. It had been another day of leaping through trees and stopping occasionally to boil water for some instant ramen. A couple of times he had stopped to sleep, but he had only managed to sleep for a couple of hours before a pair of pale lavender eyes jolted him from his slumber. While sleep had been somewhat elusive as usual, he had gotten enough to get him where he needed to go.

He landed just outside of a small town right on the coast. Once he got what he needed here, Kurama would point him in the right direction to Uzu. There, he would begin his new life. Hopefully Kurama wasn't exaggerating, and no one would be able to track him there.

Remembering the plan he had come up with yesterday, he quickly made a few hand signs and transformed his appearance. He now sported spiky black hair and green eyes. He made his skin paler and got rid of his whisker marks. He replaced his usual bright orange jumpsuit with a black sweatshirt and a pair of red shorts and black sandals. He glanced at his new reflection in a puddle of water on the ground and sighed in relief, grateful that he had vastly improved in his use of the transformation jutsu.

Feeling reassured at his new appearance, Naruto strode towards the town in search of a few new weapons, camping supplies, and some food to store away. But first, he decided he wanted to treat himself one last time before he went off the grid.

He made his way down the dirt paths, people smiling at him as he walked by. It was a strange experience, having people smile at him for once. He reminded himself that they had no idea who he was, but it was still nice to see genuine friendliness instead of hatred and fear. He walked a bit further into turn, his eyes continuously scanning the area, searching. Then, a mouthwatering aroma filled his nostrils.

"Aha!" He shouted, gaining some confused stares. He followed his nose to the scrumptious scent floating through the air, knowing the smell by heart. His instincts were correct, as he rounded a corner he saw a quaint ramen stand with four stools in front. It reminded him of Ichiraku, but it was even smaller than that. He wasted no time in sprinting up to stand and jumping up onto a stool. He was the only one there besides the owner and a young girl, who he assumed must be her daughter.

A woman, who looked to be in her thirties, came up to greet him. She had sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes full of warmth. She wore a green dress with an apron tied around it and her hair up in a high ponytail. Behind her, cooking some noodles, was a young girl looking to be close to his age. She had dark brown hair and the same hazel eyes as the woman did, leading him to believe that she must be her daughter. She wore a red long sleeved t-shirt with black pants and sandals. She too, wore an apron around her waist.

"Welcome to Oishi Shokuji noodle shop! My name is Suki, I'm the owner of this fine establishment. And this here," She paused to motion to the young girl behind her, "Is my daughter Yoshiko. She helps me run things around here. So, stranger, what can I get for you?"

Naruto was a bit surprised at the sunny disposition of Suki and her daughter. He found he already enjoyed being in their presence, they reminded him of Teuchi and Ayame back in Konoha. He smiled brightly, feeling upbeat for the first time in a few days.

"It's nice to meet you both! I'll have a miso with pork, make that extra pork actually! Thanks a lot!" He responded cheerfully.

Suki beamed, "Coming right up! Yoshiko, a miso with extra pork for our customer!"

Yoshiko turned her head to meet Naruto's gaze for a moment, then immediately turned away again. Naruto could have sworn he saw a tinge of pink across her cheeks.

"Yes! Right away!" She shouted.

Suki turned back to him, a curious gleam in her eyes, "So, what's your name?"

Naruto froze, he was sure his face had a panicked expression for a moment before he forced himself to relax. ' _Calm down! It's a normal question, just give her a fake name!'_ He told himself.

"Er, Kurama. My name is Kurama." He said, speaking the first name that popped into his head. He swore he could hear chuckling coming from inside his mind. ' _Shut up you damn fox!'_

Suki cocked her head to the side, "Kurama, huh? That's an unusual name."

"I like it. The name Kurama, it's nice." Yoshiko commented with a smile.

"Thanks!" Came Naruto's upbeat response. Yoshiko met his eyes and once again blushed and turned away. Naruto couldn't help but feel like he had seen something like that before.

"So, where are you from?" Suki asked him.

"Uhhh….", Naruto felt a bit uncomfortable. He couldn't very well just tell them right? "I can't really say… I'm sorry." He didn't want to lie and say he was from somewhere else, he was afraid it would be obvious that he was being dishonest.

"I see, don't worry. You're not the first weary traveler with an unusual backstory. Although, you're the first I've seen so young." She commented.

Naruto looked down at his feet, "Yeah… it's a long story. I wish I could explain… but I'm afraid I'm bound to silence."

"Hey! Perk up! You're food is ready!" Suki exclaimed.

He did perk up upon hearing that. The delicious looking bowl of ramen was placed on the bar in front of him by a blushing Yoshiko, who giggled a bit when he thanked her, although he didn't notice.

Normally, Naruto would devour a bowl of ramen in no time at all. However, he knew it would possibly be the last quality bowl of ramen he would ever have, so he savored each bite. This gave him time to converse with Suki and Yoshiko. He noticed that Yoshiko behaved a bit odd at times around him. He knew her actions seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't put his finger on why he felt that way.

Naruto had finished slurping up the last of the broth in his bowl, wiping his mouth and enjoying the full feeling in his belly. While he was fumbling for his Gama-chan to get some money, he was approached again by Yoshiko.

"I-I was thinking….," She began, averting her gaze, "Would you like to… come with me… to dinner… tonight… like a date?" She asked nervously. She still couldn't look him in the eye.

Realization practically slammed into him. That was why she seemed familiar to him with her actions. She had a crush on him. How ironic. He practically begged to have pretty girls asking him out not too long ago, and now it just made him sad. Because her actions were similar to those of a certain Hyūga girl, that's why they seemed familiar to him.

He smiled sadly at her, then turned his gaze to his feet again, "Sorry… but I'm a traveler, after I get a few supplies from here I'm leaving for good. But thanks for asking, really."

She tilted her head, a curious expression on her face, "That look in your eyes… there's someone else already in your heart… isn't there?" She asked him.

He snapped his head up and his breath hitched, instantly his mind conjured up an image of Hinata, smiling gently, her cheeks tinged pink, her eyes full of love, "Yeah… I think so. Anyway… thank you guys so much for the ramen. It was delicious." He said as he smiled and placed some money on the table. He waved back at them as he ran off.

Although he had been made to think of Hinata again, he had a good time with Suki and Yoshiko. Good company and a good meal always helps. It made him feel a little better. He decided his next stop would be to get a few weapons, then supplies, then some food he could store away.

He made his way through a few shops, gathering what he needed quickly. He had spent more time than he had planned at the ramen shop, and he needed to move faster. He picked up some new kunai and shuriken from a weapons shop, and a couple of pots and pans to cook with, along with some oil and a lighter from another shop. He also picked up some more instant ramen and canned goods. He still had some money left over in case the time came that he ever needed it. He was ready now.

Naruto took a deep breath and grasped his backpack tightly as he followed Kurama's instructions and walked towards the shore. He stared out over the horizon, enjoying the beautiful scenery. ' _Alright Kurama, what now?'_ He spoke inside of his mind.

' _ **You'll need to swim to the island. It's too risky to stick around try to get a boat, and besides I doubt you could afford it with the money you have left. Not to mention that if you take a boat, your scent can still be tracked. You need to actually get in the water.'**_

' _Are you kidding me? The current is too strong, and there are whirlpools out there right? I can't outswim that!'_

' _ **Calm down brat!',**_ Kurama growled, ' _ **Look, I'll temporarily lend you a portion of my chakra. It will make you strong enough to swim through the currents.'**_ He explained.

Naruto chuckled, ' _hmph, you're willingly lending me your chakra? You must be really desperate to get outta here.'_

' _ **Yes I am! Besides, I'm only lending you tiny portion of my chakra. Now, make sure the coast is clear!'**_

Naruto scanned the area. He had specifically chosen a spot near the shore where there was no people. Kurama said they would need to find a spot with no prying eyes.

' _We're good, I don't see anyone.'_

' _ **And I don't sense any strong chakras nearby. Alright brat, I'm going to push my chakra into you now. Your transformation jutsu will be undone, and you'll probably feel strange, so brace yourself.'**_ He explained.

' _Okay, let's do it.'_ He stood firm, readying himself.

Naruto suddenly felt a surge of power run through him. His insides were unusually warm, and he could feel a strange prickling along his skin. A faint orange aura began to surround him, and he walked towards the water to see his reflection. What he saw had his mouth gaping open.

His jutsu was undone, just as Kurama had said would happen. His spiky blonde hair was standing on end. His once ocean blue eyes were now crimson with black slits, just like Kurama's. His whisker marks were more pronounced, making him look more feral. He looked down at his hands, noticing the claws now protruding from his fingers. There was no doubt, with Kurama's chakra flowing through him, he was immensely more powerful. And yet, this was only a tiny amount. Naruto was in awe of Kurama's power, no wonder it couldn't be fully controlled.

' _ **Now, hop in. You'll have plenty of strength to swim through any current. I'll guide you in the correct direction. The water will do away with your scent, and the island is too far away from the mainland to be seen by any byakugan. You'll be nearly unreachable.'**_ Kurama explained.

' _Alright then, here goes.'_

Naruto made sure his backpack was secured tightly, and then he leapt into the water, swimming more rapidly than he thought possible towards his final destination.

* * *

Kakashi was sprinting frantically towards the meet up location with Jiraiya. He had given up on finding Naruto alone after his little setback earlier. Naruto spreading out his scent had cost him nearly three hours. He was coming up on Tanzuku town, where he would find Jiraiya and they would set off together.

The only question was where would he be? Surely he had gotten Lord Hiruzen's message, but he wouldn't know when Kakashi would get there. He supposed a visit to a tavern or hot springs would do the trick. Jiraiya always was predictable.

He could see the town gates in the distance, but what else he saw shocked him.

There, standing in front of the gates and ready to go, was Jiraiya. He wore a grim expression and a large backpack. Clearly Kakashi had him pegged wrong. He waved to Jiraiya to get his attention as he made his way up to him.

"Master Jiraiya, it's good to see you."

Jiraiya smiled, "Yes, you too, although I wish it were under better circumstances."

Kakashi looked at the ground, "Yeah… same here. Well, I'm surprised to see you ready to go and not ogling some women at a bathhouse." He joked.

Jiraiya let out a slight chuckle, "Well I suppose I can't blame you for expecting that, but this mission is different from any other. This is my godson, the last thing left of Minato. There's no time to waste, so with that being said, let's go." As he said that, he bit his thumb drawing blood, and went through a series of hand signs. Then, he slammed his palm on the ground and shouted, "Ninja Art: Summoning Jutsu!"

A puff of smoke the size of a large building appeared from thin air. After the wind blew the smoke away, a giant toad had appeared. He wore a large navy blue vest and carried a katana. He also appeared to be smoking a pipe.

" **JIRAIYA, WHAT'S GOING ON?!"** The giant toad bellowed, shaking the ground beneath him.

Jiraiya's hands immediately shot up and he waved them back and forth defensively, "Easy there Gamabunta! I'm sorry for summoning you without there being a battle, but it's an emergency! I need to ask a favor!"

Kakashi simply continued to stare up at Gamabunta, wide-eyed.

" **Hmm… EXPLAIN!"**

Jiraiya exhaled a breath he had been holding, "It's Naruto, Minato's boy…" he paused when he noticed that he seemed to have gotten the toad's attention.

" **Go on..."**

"He's run away from the village and we have to track him down before someone else does. Please, can we ride on your back while Kakashi tracks his scent? It'll be much quicker than us running." He explained.

Gamabunta seemed to ponder the offer for a moment before nodding in agreement, " **Alright, considering the circumstances, I'll do it. But you owe me an entire barrel of sake for this Jiraiya!"**

Jiraiya grinned, "Yes, of course 'Bunta! Now let's go!" He shouted as he and Kakashi, who had Pakkun in his arms, jumped onto the giant toad's head, "Alright Kakashi, point us in the right direction."

Kakashi looked down to the hound, "Pakkun?"

Pakkun waved his paw towards a path heading east, "I definitely smell him coming from that direction."

" **Alright then,"** Gamabunta began, " **Hang on tight everyone!"**

With a mighty leap, Gamabunta flung the entire group toward Naruto's scent, leaving some trees uprooted on the ground. At the pace they were going, they would be able to catch up with him in no time. The gang held onto the toad with all their might as they made their way along the trail.

Although, something had been bugging Kakashi since he has found Jiraiya, "Master Jiraiya, can I ask you something?!" He shouted over the roaring wind.

Jiraiya nodded.

"Well… you seem even more worried than me. You know something don't you? Tell me."

Jiraiya looked ahead, his troubled visage never fading, "Naruto is in danger, even though he doesn't realize it."

Kakashi's eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

Jiraiya looked back towards Kakashi, the seriousness of his gaze piercing him, "There's a group out there that I've been gaining intel on. They call themselves the Akatsuki, a group of S-rank rogue ninja. From what I've been able to gather…" he hesitated.

"What? What is it Master Jiraiya?!" Kakashi pressed him.

He sighed, "They're after the nine-tails." He revealed.

Kakashi gasped, fear creeping into him. This was bad.

Jiraiya continued, "I'm not sure why, but I know they want to possess the nine-tailed fox. This group is no joke either. One of the members is former Konoha shinobi, Itachi Uchiha."

"Itachi… Uchiha?!" Kakashi shouted in disbelief. If someone like Itachi was in the group, this was worse than they could have imagined.

Jiraiya nodded, "Yeah… that's why I refuse to lose even one minute. We have to find Naruto and make sure he's safe at all costs!" He declared with determination.

With the new information revealed, Kakashi focused his nose harder, as did Pakkun. Their mission just got more urgent.

* * *

Naruto was swimming as hard as he could against the monstrous current of the ocean. Salt water was filling his mouth and nose, he was breathing hard, his lungs on fire. However, he found that he actually felt incredible. Kurama's chakra was invigorating, giving him unimaginable power and stamina. He had already been swimming at breakneck speed for nearly an hour and a half and he still had plenty left in the tank.

However, it appeared he wouldn't need all of it. In the distance, he could vaguely make out a bit of land. He assumed this must be the ruins of Uzushiogakure, which Kurama immediately confirmed. Naruto veered through the various whirlpools surrounding the island, using the power of Kurama's chakra to avoid being pulled in. Once he had gotten past the deadly obstacles, he found that his feet were now able to touch the floor of the ocean, and he started running against the current. Once he finally reached the land, he threw himself onto the sandy shore panting so hard he thought his lungs would explode. He felt the chakra of Kurama retreat within his body, and suddenly he felt completely drained, barely able to stay conscious.

' _ **Just rest for now, brat. Your body isn't used to exerting so much energy. Now that my chakra has left you, all of your energy is gone. I'm honestly surprised you're still conscious. Then again, you Uzumaki have always been tenacious.'**_ Kurama grumbled.

"Yeah… gotcha… I'll... just… lie… here… for… a while…," Naruto managed to get out in between harsh pants. He couldn't believe how exhausted he was. However, he fought off sleep. He didn't want to waste any extra time. As soon as his body would allow it, he would get up and search for a place to find shelter and grab a quick bite to eat. He could go to sleep later. And this time, he had a feeling that the act of sleeping would come much easier to him.

Naruto lied on the shore for about forty-five minutes before he finally felt some energy return to his worn out body. Slowly, he made his way to his feet and trudged up the sandy beach to the ruins of Uzu. As he fought his way through the tangled vines and the messy undergrowth, he took in the scenery before him. The entire place was completely abandoned, not a soul to be found. Most of the buildings were destroyed, or collapsed from not being maintained over time. Naruto started looking for a building that was still standing, one that would be acceptable to live in while he was fixing it up.

While Naruto was searching through the ruins, something interesting caught his eye. An old building, or what was left of it came into his view. It looked like it may have been a temple of sorts. He decided to explore what was left of the inside, having a strange feeling that he should go over to it.

Most of the inside was just rubble, not much of a surprise. However, Naruto felt his foot kick something softer as he was walking. He glanced down to see a dirty old scroll. He carefully rolled it open, reading the contents. Upon further inspection, he realized that it was a scroll for a sealing jutsu. He scanned the room, and noticed that there were several other scrolls littering the area. He wondered if this was a library of sorts. He search over the ruins, picking up a scroll here and there, each one containing a different kind of sealing jutsu. He had managed to find twelve of these jutsu scrolls before collecting them all in his arms and going back to searching for shelter. He had never tried his hand at fuinjutsu before, but he figured he could always give it a shot. His jutsu arsenal was pretty small at the moment, after all.

On the very outskirts of the village, Naruto had come upon a string of old family homes. They were completely taken over by undergrowth, and the wood looked a little rotted. One home looked to be in slightly better shape than the others. It was an old log cabin looking house, only one story with some windows that were all either shattered or cracked. He figured this one would at least hold up while he worked on it. And for now, it would be a good place to eat and sleep.

He pushed the door open, a loud creaking noise ringing in his ears as he entered the old dirty house. It was completely caked in a layer of dust, and had some bugs crawling around, but nothing Naruto didn't expect. There was an old worn down couch in the middle of the room, and a coffee table lying on its side with only three legs. That would be an easy fix. He walked further into the old house, the floorboards creaking underneath him as he went. He found himself in what would be the kitchen. There was an old fridge that he dare not open at the moment. He would deal with that later, knowing the stench was probably horrible. There was a wooden table that was still standing with two chairs. They didn't look too stable, but again would be an easy fix. There looked to be a small pantry in the corner. Luckily for him, there were already some canned goods inside. He opened his backpack and began to empty what food he had into the pantry. He figured with what he had and what was already there, he would be able to last a while. Not to mention he could always go fishing if need be.

Next stop was a bedroom. As he walked inside, he noticed a full size bed that was in surprisingly good condition, aside from the dust and cobwebs. There was also a nightstand and a dresser, which was falling apart but still usable at the moment. Naruto shrugged, he didn't have many clothes with him anyway. There was a small closet for storage, and when Naruto opened it he couldn't believe his luck. Kunai, shuriken, storage scrolls, and a katana were inside the closet along with some old clothes. So, whoever lived here was a shinobi. This was great news, he wondered what else he could find around the house that would be of use to him. He slipped his backpack off of his shoulders and lazily tossed it into the closet. He decided he would unpack later when he had more energy.

Naruto walked out of the bedroom and made his way down the hallway. At the end, there was one last room. He carefully opened the door, and realized right away that it was another bedroom, but this one was bigger and had its own bathroom. Of course, Naruto knew that the bathroom would be useless to him since the plumbing hadn't been maintained in years. He would just have to go outside. This room was set up similar to the other one, except the bed was a queen size bed. He opened the closet door and found, to his disappointment, that it was completely empty except for some old shoes. He sighed, and decided he would make the other room his. Maybe he could throw out all of the furniture in this one and train in it or something, or maybe store weapons. He'd think of something.

He sluggishly drug his feet back down the hall to the other bedroom. He swept most of the dust off of the bed with his hands and plopped down onto it. He knew that he needed to wash the covers and sheets, but he was too drained to do so at the moment. His body had reached its limit, and would no longer allow him to remain conscious. He felt the pull of sleep overtaking him, and allowed the crushing weight on his eyelids to take him into a deep slumber. He had found his new home.

* * *

Kakashi was able to make out a small town up ahead, next to the coastline. Jiraiya, not wanting to accidentally destroy any buildings, allowed Gamabunta to return and get some rest. As the two men and small dog sprinted into the town's gates, it became quite clear that Naruto was either there or had been there for a while. His scent was all over the town.

"This is good Kakashi," said Pakkun, "There's a clear trail of his scent in this town. And it's strong. He's been here recently."

Kakashi was feeling elated at that news. He hoped that maybe Naruto was still here, "Alright then, we just have to follow the scent trail in this town. And along the way, we can ask anyone if they've seen him. Maybe he's still in the area. Let's go!"

"Right!" Exclaimed Jiraiya.

They quickly followed Naruto's scent through the dirt trails along the town until they came to an abrupt stop in front of a ramen stand that said _Oishi Shokuji_ across the top in bright red letters. Kakashi almost fell over when he realized what had happened.

"You're kidding me…," He started, "He actually took a break to get some ramen? Typical."

Jiraiya chuckled, "Well, it's a bit funny but helpful to us nonetheless. Maybe these people know something."

They marched up to the stand and there they saw the smiling face of a young woman and a young girl, both wearing aprons with their hair tied back.

"Welcome to Oishi Shokuji Noodle Shop! I'm Suki! How can I help you?" The young woman greeted them.

Jiraiya grinned lecherously, and upon seeing this Kakashi facepalmed.

"Well, lovely Suki, we're on a mission at the moment, but maybe later on you could help me by going on a nice date with me, how does that sound?" Jiraiya asked her.

She stepped back a bit… looking unnerved, "Uh… no thanks…"

Kakashi cut in, "Please ignore him. We're looking for someone. Did a young boy with blonde hair and blue eyes come through here? He would've been wearing an orange jumpsuit more than likely."

She pressed her finger to her chin in deep thought, "Hmmm… no, no one like that. The only young boy to stop by here today had black hair and green eyes, and certainly wasn't wearing orange." She told them.

Kakashi was about to thank her and leave, when a thought struck him, "This boy, did he talk to you at all? Say anything worth mentioning?"

"Yeah, actually we spoke to him quite a bit. He seemed pretty cheerful, except for when I asked him his name and where he was from. He said his name was Kurama, but he said he couldn't tell us where he was from. He also said that he was a traveler, and that after he got some supplies here he would be leaving." She explained.

Jiraiya looked to Kakashi, "Well Kakashi, how adept is he at the transformation jutsu?"

"I'm not sure to be honest, but from what I just heard it sounds like he knows it pretty well. Alright then," He turned his eyes back to Suki, "Thank you, Miss. You've been very helpful."

She smiled brightly at them both, "No problem! Come back soon and eat something!"

The three of them continued to follow Naruto's trail throughout the town. It led them into a few shops, but all of the owners said the same thing. They all explained that the only young boy who had come in had black hair, not blonde. It all added up. Kakashi knew for sure now that Naruto had used the transformation jutsu to disguise his appearance.

' _Simple, but clever.'_ Kakashi thought to himself.

They continued to chase his scent until they found themselves in a remote area of the shore. The trail ended there.

Kakashi began scratching his head, confusion flooding his brain, "Pakkun, are you sure that this is where it ends?" He asked, looking down at the ninja hound.

"Yes, I'm positive. The only explanation is that he jumped in. Alright Kakashi, I'm no longer needed so I think you guys can take it from here. Call me again if you need me." And with that, Pakkun disappeared into a puff of smoke.

"This doesn't make any sense. Why would Naruto jump into the ocean from here? As far as I know, there's nothing in this direction but ocean for thousands of miles. And there's no way he could continuously swim against the currents. I don't get it!" Kakashi was wracking his brain, trying to figure out what was going on.

Jiraiya was puzzled too, but then his eyes widened. Something had clicked in his mind. He suddenly took off his backpack and began frantically searching through it until he pulled out what looked to be a map, and quite an old one at that. His eyes were looking for something in particular.

Kakashi glanced up at him, "Uhh… Master Jiraiya?"

"Hang on!" Came Jiraiya's immediate response.

Jiraiya sighed. He closed his eyes and rolled up his map, placing it back into his backpack. When he opened his eyes, purpose and resolve shone through them, "Kakashi, it's time for you to go home."

Kakashi nearly choked he gasped so hard. His lone visible eye looked as though it would pop right out of his head, "What are you talking about?!"

Jiraiya turned to him, his expression never wavering, "I need to carry on alone from here on out. I know you want to find Naruto, but trust me, he's safe. I know where he is."

"You do?!"

"Yes. And I know in my heart that it's best if I go on alone to find Naruto. I promise, I won't let anything bad happen to him. I'll find him." Jiraiya assured him.

Kakashi was conflicted. He knew Jiraiya must have something in mind, but at this point it was so difficult for him to just turn around and go home. He wasn't sure what he should do.

Jiraiya smiled at him, "Kakashi, I know you don't want to let Minato down, and you won't be. I don't want to let him down either. Naruto is my godson. It's my job to be there for him, and now I will be. Please, allow me to go on by myself. Go back and tell the Hokage my decision. I'll send a message back once I have him."

Kakashi allowed his words to comfort him a bit, "Fine. I'll go. I'm still a little unsure about doing this, but I trust you Master Jiraiya. Take care of my student."

Jiraiya grinned and gave him a thumbs up, "You got it!"

Kakashi allowed himself a small smile behind his mask, then sprinted away back in the direction of Konoha.

Jiraiya's expression turned serious again. His eyes looked out onto the ocean. He knew where Naruto had gone, there was no other place he could be now.

Jiraiya threw his backpack back on and leapt out on the water, standing on the surface with ease. He drew in a deep breath of salty air and exhaled, "Uzu, here I come!"

* * *

Naruto's eyes slowly crept open, the sun from the window illuminating the room. He coughed a bit, the dust from the room filling his lungs. For once he had not awoken drenched in sweat and screaming, but he had still dreamt of her. Only this dream was different. It was pleasant, yet still sad.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Naruto found himself standing behind the Fourth Hokage's head. He was planning to have a seat at his usual spot, when something caught his eye. Short indigo hair and pale skin. It was her!_

 _He ran up to her side, and she glanced up at him with a shy smile and pink cheeks. He smiled back at her, rubbing the back of his head. He then took a seat next to her._

 _It was just like that day… they sat atop the Hokage monument and just talked. They talked about anything and everything, it was perfect. Until…_

 _Recognition washed over Naruto's face. He took Hinata's hand and her cheeks flushed a deep crimson. He absolutely loved her blush. She looked up to meet his eyes, and her face mirrored his own sadness, as if she knew what he was going to say._

" _Hinata… I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left you." He told her._

 _She squeezed his hand, "It's okay Naruto-kun. I forgive you." She assured him._

" _But… how can you forgive me so easily! I don't understand…" tears were starting well up in his eyes._

" _Because... I love you. I always will."_

 _His eyes widened and the tears broke free, flowing down his face. Even though he was dreaming, he knew he could feel that familiar warmth. He had been aching to feel it again ever since he left._

" _But, what does that even mean? Love… I don't know anything about it… I don't know what it is…"_

 _She gazed lovingly at him, "I know Naruto-kun. But, I'll tell you what I feel, when it comes to love. Maybe that will help you," She said, as she looked deep into his eyes. He was mesmerized by beautiful pale lavender, "Whenever I see you, I get an intense feeling in my heart. My whole chest feels warm and tingly, and I get butterflies in my stomach. It's hard for me to speak sometimes around you, that's why I would always stutter so much. I feel a strong need to be around you, comfort you, protect you. Whenever you're sad, it tears me apart. But when you're happy and smiling, I feel like I'm on top of the world. Just holding your hand like this, makes my fingers feel all tingly and my head feels kind of funny. That's how I know. There's no one else in the world that makes me feel this way, Naruto-kun."_

 _Naruto's heart skipped a beat at her words, and his own cheeks tinged pink. He smiled and wiped his tears away, "I… that's how I feel with you Hinata. That's exactly it… then I guess… I love you too!" He shouted, feeling blissful as he said it, and even happier when he heard her giggle._

 _Then, realization hit him hard. This wasn't reality. In reality, he was far away from her. He was on a deserted island, all alone._

" _Hinata, I'm sorry I did this to you… I'm sorry that you had to fall in love with someone like me," He began shaking as the words came out, "I can't come back! I just can't… you mean too much to me… I bring danger wherever I go. If I'm with you… you'll never be safe."_

 _She frowned at him, "Naruto-kun, you're wrong about this. I don't care what it is, my place is by your side, always. That won't change. Even if you don't come back, I'll find you and bring you home myself! That's a promise!"_

" _But Hinata…," Just as he was about to reply, he felt some invisible force pulling him away. He was being pulled away from Hinata, away from the village, away from the dream. He heard one last thing before the world of reality sucked him back in._

" _Naruto-kun, I'll save you from the darkness, I swear it!"_

* * *

Naruto sighed and sat up from the bed, dusting off the remaining bits of dust from his clothing. The dream had felt so real, as if he had actually been speaking to her. Of course, he knew it wasn't real. She probably didn't still love him at all, she probably hated him, wanting nothing to do with him after what happened. He clutched his chest when the pain that came along with those thoughts swept through him. It broke him to think that she might feel that way. It hurt.

The dream had confirmed something for him however, at least he thought so:

He loved her. At least, he thought he did. He thought he might need more confirmation than just a dream, but still. It made sense to him.

That was why he couldn't stop thinking of her, why she made him feel things that he couldn't explain. Why seeing her cry that night made him feel as though his soul would be destroyed from the anguish he felt. It was because he had fallen in love with her.

He wasn't sure when it happened, or how it had happened so quickly, but he cursed himself for feeling this way. He knew now that he would never be able to stop thinking about her. His future just became a little more bleak.

A gurgling noise coming from his stomach snapped him out of his thoughts. He realized that between the long swim and his nap, he probably really needed some food. He glanced back at the window, noting that the sun was now setting. He figured he must of been out for at least a few hours if that was the case. He pushed himself off of the bed and made his way into the kitchen. He opened the pantry and grabbed a can of soup. He pulled the metal tab open and began to drink the soup eagerly. He was starving!

After he had finished his soup, he went to grab one of the scrolls he had found from the closet and plopped down on the worn out couch, dust flying into the air, making him cough again. He knew he really needed to clean this place up. Just as he was opening up the scroll, Kurama got his attention.

' _ **Naruto! Look sharp, someone's on the island!'**_

Naruto's eyes widened and he felt his heart stop for a moment.

' _W-what did you say?!'_

Kurama growled, ' _ **Someone is here! I can sense a powerful chakra on the island with us. It seems familiar, but I can't seem to tell who it is.'**_

Naruto couldn't believe it, how had he been found so quickly?! Kurama had assured him it would be almost impossible to track them! His skin was feeling clammy, his heart pounding hard in his chest.

' _ **Just go check it out. Be careful not to be seen. Hopefully it's not a sensory ninja. If it is, we're doomed. But if it's not, maybe we can throw them off our trail somehow.'**_

Naruto took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Maybe everything would turn out okay. He raised up from the couch and made his way to the front door. Carefully, he opened the door and stepped out, careful not to make too much noise. He was silently thankful about his abilities to be sneaky. It helped him not to lose his cool at the moment. Whoever was on this island with him would have to go, especially if it was a leaf ninja. He couldn't go back, that was just the way it was.

He stealthily hopped between old buildings, looking over his shoulder and around corners every so often.

' _ **We're getting close to whoever it is. Keep your guard up,'**_ Kurama warned him.

Naruto nodded, and ducked down behind a large tree trunk. He chanced a look over the top, and froze at what he saw. There they were, the person with them on the island.

The man was quite large, making Naruto feel uneasy. He wore wooden sandals, a plain gray and pale green outfit, and a red vest over the top. He also carried both a backpack and a large scroll on his back. What caught Naruto's attention the most was his hair. It was white as snow, spiky, and came all the way down his back. He wore a forehead protector with the kanji for _oil_ on it. Naruto thought he looked bizzare, who was this guy?

Naruto soon realized he could hear Kurama growling loudly inside his head, ' _What is it Kurama?'_

' _ **It's him…'**_

' _Who?'_

' _ **Jiraiya… one of the Sannin… and… teacher of the Fourth Hokage.'**_

Naruto's mouth dropped open, and his eyes went wide. This guy was his father's master? Amazing! He frowned. Under any other circumstances, he would have ran straight up to him and began asking him questions, begging him to teach him a cool jutsu. But, he couldn't do that now. He was downright pissed at his luck.

Naruto eyed him closely, hoping Jiraiya wouldn't walk in his direction. On the contrary, he had stopped moving completely, which perplexed Naruto. Then, he saw Jiraiya become completely still, and he placed both of his palms together and closed his eyes.

' _ **Dammit!'**_ Kurama roared.

' _What? What's he doing?'_

' _ **He's gathering nature energy, and once he's amassed enough of it, he'll be able to sense both of our unique chakras. After that, finding you will be child's play. And believe me, you won't be able to take him on.'**_

Naruto clenched his fists and looked at the ground. If this Jiraiya guy was going to find him anyway, he might as well show himself. Maybe he could talk his way out of this. It was a long shot, but he would try.

He shot up from behind the tree trunk, but Jiraiya hadn't noticed him just yet.

"You might as well stop. You already found me." Naruto shouted.

Jiraiya opened his eyes and put his hands down. He turned his gaze onto Naruto, and suddenly the blonde felt incredibly nervous.

Jiraiya turned his mouth up into a grin, "So, you're Naruto, huh? Nice to meet you kid."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note!**_

 **Hope everyone enjoyed the new chapter! I'm still deciding about the Chunin exams, so please tell me what you want! A short summary later on, or a 2-3 chapter telling? Keep in mind that the Chunin exams will go quite differently in my story, so it's up to you if you want to see it or not.**

 _ **NEWS!**_

 **I'm thrilled with how quickly I've been able to update this story so far, and I don't think it will change any time soon. So, I've decided to add on a second story to my to-do list. Don't worry, I think I'll still be able to update this one at least once a week, maybe twice a week. Writing is pretty much all I do when I'm not working. I love it! So, I'll be publishing a new story very soon. It's a NaruHina modern AU. Lots of angsty feelings and lemony goodness. I'm super excited to get it out of my brain and onto a doc. I'm already almost done with the first chapter, so be on the lookout!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello everyone! I hope you guys are having a great week! I'm happy to say that I just published my second story,** _ **How Can We Go Back?**_ **Check it out!**

 **Since I have two stories now, my goal is to update both once a week. I think that's an easy goal to keep up for me.**

 **However, from December 22-Jan5 I will be visiting family out of town, and their WiFi is pretty slow so it's doubtful that I'll be able to update much in that particular period if at all. I apologize! But I'll spend that time writing as much as I can and I'll publish again as soon as I get back!**

 **Alright! I have a new poll up! It's a poll asking about your opinion on me including the war in this story. Check it out on my profile and vote!**

 **This chapter has a lot of Naruto and Jiraiya. The mentor and apprentice relationship begins here! I will finally show Danzo as well. There is also some Hinata, Sakura, and Sasuke.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. I really wish I did though. I'd love to have credit for something so awesome. Naruto is owned by M. Kishimoto.**

* * *

Naruto eyed the older man warily. He seemed nice enough, and according to Kurama this guy was his dad's old master. He knew this guy was super strong, Kurama had mentioned how powerful his chakra was. Naruto would have to choose his words carefully if he was going to get out of the old man taking him back.

"Nice to meet you too. You're Jiraiya, right?" He asked him.

Jiraiya blinked, a little surprised, then composed himself, "I'm not just Jiraiya! It is I, the toad Sage of Mount Myoboku!" He shouted as he took a dramatic pose.

Naruto looked at him, dumbfounded.

' _They sent this clown after me?'_

' _ **Don't be fooled by that act!'**_ Kurama spoke up, ' _ **He's more powerful than anyone you've met. Including the Hokage.'**_

Naruto tried not to let the shock show on his face, not wanting to clue Jiraiya in to what was going on inside his head.

Jiraiya dropped his pose and crossed his arms, "Hmph, no appreciation for your elders. That's not right kid."

"Well, you're kinda weird."

Jiraiya quirked an eyebrow at him, "This coming from the kid with a giant fox beast living inside his body? I'd say I'm pretty normal compared to that."

Naruto scowled. He didn't care who this guy was, if he was going to start digging into him because of that…

"Calm down kid. I'm not like those assholes in the village who don't know any better. The Fourth Hokage was my pupil after all. I could never be that way with his son." He said as he flashed Naruto a friendly smile.

Naruto wasn't dropping his guard yet though. He didn't know Jiraiya, but he knew why he must be here.

Jiraiya's expression turned serious, "I'll cut to the chase Naruto. Lord Third contacted me to bring you back to Konoha."

Naruto crossed his arms and furrowed his brows, "Yeah, I know that. What I don't know is how you found me. How could you have possibly tracked me down?"

"Well I can't take all the credit. Your sensei was with me most of the way until we reached the coastline. He used his hounds to track your scent." He explained.

Naruto was surprised at that, "Kakashi-sensei really came after me?"

"Sure he did. However, once I realized you were here I sent Kakashi home. He doesn't know where you are."

"He… He doesn't? But how?" He wasn't sure how it was possible that Jiraiya knew but Kakashi didn't.

Jiraiya grinned, "Well, you were smart in picking this location. It's in ruins, and all of the up-to-date maps don't even show it as existing. If someone were to buy a map of the area around the coast, Uzushiogakure is not shown. Most people have forgotten all about it."

"So…"

"However, I have many maps I carry, most of them are pretty old too. That includes the map I have of the coastline. It's nearly forty years old, and about to fall apart, but it's a good thing I had it. As soon as I looked at it I knew you swam here." He told him.

Naruto allowed a small grin to form on his face, "You're good."

"You got that right," Jiraiya responded, "But I'm not done. No human, even if they have a ton of chakra could actually swim through the currents and whirlpools to get here without drowning in the process. The only way to get through is to take a strong boat or run along the water. You did neither. So I had to ask myself, how did you do it?"

Naruto swallowed hard, had the old geezer figured it out?

"There's only one way you could have…" he trailed off as he leaned down close to Naruto's face, "You used the nine-tails chakra, am I right?"

Naruto was anxious now, for some reason admitting to that made him feel extremely nervous.

"Yeah, he lent it to me temporarily." Naruto confessed.

That had Jiraiya thrown off a bit, "He let you use it, did he? So you two communicate?"

Naruto's eyes widened, ' _Idiot! Why did I say that!'_

Jiraiya chuckled, "It's okay kid, your secret is safe with me."

Naruto shook his head, "I don't get it. You came here to take me back, so why aren't you actually trying?"

"Well… to be perfectly honest I don't actually believe that taking you back right now is the smartest course of action."

Naruto's mouth hung open, and he was glued to the spot. So this guy wasn't going to take him back? Then what was he up to?

"Look kid, you're fully aware of the nine-tails, and I'm guessing you're aware that there are people out there that want to use that power for their own purposes." He stated.

An image of Danzo flashed through Naruto's mind. He nodded.

"Well, you should know that I run a spy network for Konoha, watching out for any potential threats. Lately I've been watching a group called the Akatsuki."

"The Akatsuki?"

He nodded, "Yes. I don't know what their exact plans are, but one thing is certain. And that certainty is that they want to take the nine-tails from you."

Naruto's blood ran cold at that statement. If Kurama was taken from him…

"I'm sure you know, Naruto. If that beast is taken from you, it means certain death. Even more than that, if that power falls into the wrong hands, it could spell disaster for the entire shinobi world. We can't allow it to happen."

Naruto looked at the ground, expression turning somber, "So… you want to keep me hidden…"

Jiraiya could tell what the boy was thinking, "Only for now. Until we can turn you into a full-fledged shinobi!" He said flashing a big smile.

Naruto's eyes lit up, "You mean… you want to train me?!"

Jiraiya gave him a thumbs up, "You bet, kid! In just a few short years I plan to turn you into a true ninja! One strong enough to fight off the Akatsuki. It won't be easy, they're all S-rank ninja, but I believe you can do it!"

Those words lit a fire within Naruto, his heart soaring upon hearing them. Someone else believed in him. What an awesome feeling!

"Yeah! Let's do it!" Naruto jumped with his fist in the air.

"Hang on. I have some conditions to this."

Naruto calmed his celebration, "Like what?"

Jiraiya smirked, "Number one, you do what I ask no matter what. I know what's best, I'm the teacher." Naruto rolled his eyes, "Two, you have to be okay with only leaving the island when I'm with you. I can't risk someone from the Akatsuki capturing you."

"Fair enough." Naruto replied.

"And lastly, I don't live in Konoha anymore. Thanks to me running my spy network I'm a nomad. However, whenever Lord Third needs me or the village is in danger, it is my duty to return. I'm going to hold you to the same standard. If the village needs defending, you go along with me to defend it, no exceptions."

This one was a little difficult to accept, but it was a condition for Jiraiya training him. Well, he didn't say Naruto would have to return for good. And if he only went back to defend Konoha and then left, he would still be keeping Hinata and everyone else safe like he wanted. He would just have to make sure she never saw him if he had to return. Maybe it would never have to happen anyway.

Naruto sighed, "Alright, I agree to the conditions."

Jiraiya smiled, "Okay! First things first, I have to let the Hokage know what our plans are. Now, look kid, as long as you keep up your end of the deal, I'll keep your location a secret. I don't agree with why you ran, but you'll stay hidden from enemies nonetheless."

Naruto beamed at Jiraiya, relief flowing through him. He was really starting to like him, "Thanks old man. I really appreciate it."

Little did Naruto know that Jiraiya had every intention of bringing Naruto back once he was finished training him, but for now Jiraiya actually thought keeping him out of Konoha would be smart. Uzu was so isolated from civilization he would be truly difficult to find. And this way Konoha wouldn't be in danger. Once Naruto was strong enough to defend himself and the village from the Akatsuki, Jiraiya would bring him back. Hopefully he would be able to talk him into it, but he'd take him by force if need be. But at least he had a few years before he had to worry about that.

"Alright kid, you got a place to stay in this dump?"

* * *

Hinata was leaping all over the field, thrusting her palms and blocking fists left and right. Hinata got back into her stance when Sakura launched herself into the air, aiming a powerful fist right at her. Hinata black flipped out of the way and attempted a new jutsu she had been working on.

' _Please work!'_

"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!" She shouted as she thrust her palm out towards Sakura, but deflated a bit when nothing happened.

' _Darn it! I still can't get it to work!'_

"What was that supposed to be?" Sakura asked her, dropping her defenses and walking up to the lavender-eyed girl.

Hinata sighed in exasperation, "It's called the air palm. It's a technique of the Hyuga gentle fist style. However, I still can't seem to get it to work right. It's supposed to shoot a powerful wave of air from the user's palm. If I could get it right, it would be a great attack for me. Brother Neji has it down perfectly." She explained.

"Neji? He's in the class above us right? Is he your cousin or something?"

Hinata nodded, "Yes, exactly. Our fathers were twin brothers. He's in the side branch, while I'm in the main branch. He truly hates me because of that, although I don't hate him. I think he believes it unfair that he is fated to the branch family even though he's a prodigy and I'm… well… not. Even Hanabi, who's incredibly talented isn't as good as Neji is. He hasn't had anyone teaching him all these techniques and yet he learned them all perfectly. I want badly to catch up to him."

Sakura smiled, glad her friend was feeling so determined, "Well, that just means you'll have to keep trying. I know you'll get it eventually!"

Hinata grinned at her friend, feeling her confidence soar, "Alright then, let's go!"

* * *

Sasuke was walking back from training, another vigorous day in the books, and another annoying time with Ino to boot. He was really getting tired of being chased by her, when was Kakashi coming back again?

Oh right, whenever they found Naruto.

Speaking of that, he couldn't stop thinking about the conversation he had with Shikamaru before training started.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Sasuke marched up to the training field, relieved to see that Ino hadn't arrived yet. He had shown up early, hoping to have the field to himself. However, he wasn't alone._

 _Lying on the ground was a certain lazy genius with a spiky ponytail. Sasuke observed him for a moment, trying to figure out what he was doing._

' _Is he just… looking at the clouds?'_

 _Sasuke walked up beside him and plopped down._

" _You know," Shikamaru began, "I lie down and watch the clouds because I almost envy them."_

 _Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at him, "Envy?"_

 _He nodded, "Yeah. They just float along, peaceful, no worries at all. No training, no fighting, no agendas, just floating. I envy that. Don't you? I mean with your team dealing with the Naruto situation, that's gotta sound pretty appealing."_

 _Sasuke jolted up, eyes widening, "How in the world did you know?"_

 _Shikamaru sat up and yawned, not seeming to share Sasuke's current level of stress, "Come on, it's obvious. All of a sudden Kakashi-sensei is gone on an S-rank mission and Naruto is nowhere to be seen the past several days. He's kind of hard to miss. Bright blonde hair, blinding orange jumpsuit, loud and boisterous personality, the kid is like a walking headache! But I haven't noticed him at all recently. It's too much of a coincidence. It's totally obvious he ran away and Kakashi went after him."_

 _Sasuke looked down at Shikamaru incredulously. This guy was pretty smart after all._

" _Don't worry," he continued, "I haven't heard any talk about it so I doubt anybody else really knows, even if they suspect something. I know he's gone, but what I don't know is why. But you know, and so does Sakura, right?"_

 _Sasuke nodded, not wanting to verbalize anything._

" _I knew it. Man, what a drag. That troublesome fool has really gone and done it this time. Well, I hope your sensei finds him before something bad does."_

* * *

Shikamaru had no idea just how much of a real possibility that was. Sasuke knew Naruto was a jinchuriki, and he was sure plenty of people would love to get their hands on him. He just hoped that wouldn't happen. It couldn't happen. He couldn't allow it to.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke froze. ' _oh no…'_

"Sasuke-kun! You ran away so fast after training! Wait up!"

' _Shit! It's Ino!'_

He took off in a dead sprint, not sure where he was going now. He did not want to have her all over him again.

He was running past an open field when something caught his eye. He noticed pink. Not just pink, but pink hair. Sakura!

He looked over and saw she was sparring with Hinata, both girls were pushing each other hard, sweating and breathing heavily. However, they were still going at it with all they had. Sasuke smirked. He liked to see that she was taking her duties as a shinobi more seriously by training.

He ran up to the pair, hoping she would help him.

The two girls had taken a break, both with hands on their knees trying to suck in some oxygen.

"Sakura!" He shouted.

Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice. She seemed quite surprised he had actually sought her out.

"Can you help me?"

Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow and brushed her hair back from her face, "Sure, Sasuke-kun, what is it?"

"No time to explain, can you hide me? And please don't tell anyone who stops by where I am? Please?!" He practically begged her. It was humiliating for him, but he was desperate.

Both girls giggled a bit, much to his irritation, but Sakura finally decided to help him.

"Sure, just hide yourself in that tree over there. Hinata and I will cover for you."

He smiled, "Thanks." He sprinted over to the tree, and climbed towards the top, confident that the leaves would hide him. It sounded like he was just in time too.

"SASUKE-KUN! SASUKE-KUN!"

Suddenly, Ino could be seen sprinting up the hillside, making her presence known to the two girls. She scowled at Sakura.

"Hey billboard brow, you seen Sasuke-kun around here?"

Sakura held back a laugh with everything she had. This was too good. This was why Sasuke was hiding. He didn't want to be around Ino! She decided to put on the best act she could and scowled right back.

"No, I haven't Ino-pig. Hinata and I were just sparring. You know, getting stronger than you!" She gloated.

Ino scoffed, "As if! Hinata, you wouldn't lie. Have you seen him?"

Hinata smiled, maybe the old her would have given in hoping Ino would like her better for it, but she had changed. Besides, she and Sakura both told Sasuke they would cover for him.

"No Ino-chan, I haven't. I'm not sure where he is."

Ino crossed her arms and frowned at her feet, "Oh fine! Guess I'll keep looking!" She declared as she took off running down the hillside. When she was completely out of sight, both girls heard Sasuke drop out of the tree with a thud.

Sakura giggled again, "So, hiding from Ino were we?"

Sasuke had regained his usual cool-guy demeanor, crossing his arms,"Yeah, well she just won't leave me alone ever since I got put on Team 10 for training. She's nuts."

Hinata chuckled, she knew Ino meant well, but she was still bit crazy over Sasuke. She felt for him. It was easy to see that Sasuke didn't want that kind of attention.

"Sasuke-kun, since you're here why not join us? You feel like sparring a bit?" Sakura asked him.

This certainly surprised Sasuke. Sakura wasn't just asking to spend time with him, but she was challenging him. And, by doing so, challenging herself. She never did that before.

He smirked, "Hmph. Me against you? No offense ladies, but I'd mop the floor with either one of you." He wasn't trying to be rude, he just knew it was the truth. He was top of the class in taijutsu. He knew Hinata was pretty good in that area because she was a Hyuga, but still not as good as he was.

"We know that actually," Sakura replied, "But how will we ever get better without going against the best? That's how it works right? What do you say? Me and Hinata vs. you?"

Sasuke thought it over. He couldn't really turn down training, and his teammate was finally getting serious, trying to improve herself. No way could he say no.

"Alright. You're on. Come at me with all you've got." He challenged.

All three got into their stances, waiting for someone to make the first move. It was Sakura, she sprinted forward, fist cocked back, "Cha!" She shouted as she threw her fist forward. But she only connected with air as Sasuke had ducked out of the way, then he proceeded to grab ahold of her arm.

Hinata had gotten behind him, but he sensed her and kicked his leg back at her, sending her flying backwards. Then he launched Sakura into a tree by her arm.

"Come on! Don't tell me that's all you've got!"

In a flash, Hinata was in front of him, aiming strikes at his tenketsu, attempting to cut off his chakra. He avoided each hit easily, never even getting grazed.

Sakura jumped out of from the tree and ran back at Sasuke, joining Hinata in her assault. Sasuke immediately back flipped over them both, getting behind Hinata. He intended to knock her out.

However, he had made the same error Sakura had the first day she and Hinata sparred. He forgot about the Byakugan. While Sasuke believed himself to be out of her sight, she could see him as clear as day. Hinata ducked, Sasuke's punch wiffing above her. He had no time to react as Hinata took advantage of his compromised position and slammed a palm strike right into his chin. Sasuke was flung backwards and slammed into the ground.

Hinata covered her mouth, " _Eeep!"_ She squeaked. She didn't mean to hit him so hard. She and Sakura ran to his side to check on him, only to see that he was out cold.

"Wow Hinata! You knocked him out! I don't believe it!" She was simultaneously feeling proud of her friend and worried for Sasuke at the same time.

"Y-Yeah but… I didn't mean to hit him so hard! I hope he's okay!"

Suddenly Sasuke began to stir, immediately grabbing his chin and groaning in pain.

Hinata apologized right away, "Sasuke-kun, I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to do that!"

He chuckled while he sat up and rubbed his chin, "Hinata, why are you sorry? I was planning on knocking you out before you did it to me. Don't be sorry for pulling a great move on me. I should be sorry for forgetting about your Kekkai-genkai. That won't happen again."

Hinata allowed his words to process and she suddenly felt silly. Of course, he said to come at him with everything they had. Besides, he didn't seem to mind that she had cleaned his clock.

"You're right, sorry."

Sakura helped him to his feet, "You sure you're alright, Sasuke-kun?"

He waved her off, "Yeah, I'll be fine. But if you don't mind, I think I'll head home now and ice my chin. Maybe I'll come back tomorrow." He said as he started to walk away. That possibility made Sakura very happy.

He paused for a moment, "Sakura, keep training. You really are getting better. Maybe one day we can have a real fight."

Sakura blushed at his words, and Hinata giggled at the all too familiar action.

"And Hinata," he continued, "Save your next palm strike to the chin for the blonde dobe when he comes back, alright?"

Now it was Hinata's turn to blush. Just the mention of Naruto was enough to warm her cheeks.

As he walked out of sight, both girls simply stood there and stared at where he had been.

"You know," Sakura started, "Sasuke's been acting differently since Naruto left. He talks to me a lot more. And he's nicer to me."

Hinata glanced over at her friend, "Well that's a good thing right? You're bonding."

Sakura frowned, "I'm not so sure. I mean, yeah we're getting closer, but it's because of Naruto being gone, and that's not a good thing that happened. It is okay for us to get closer over something like that?"

Hinata giggled, "Of course it is!"

Sakura blinked at her in surprise.

"After all, that's the case for us too."

* * *

Danzo stood in the depths of the ROOT base, quietly contemplating his next move. He paced back and forth, trying to come up with a solid plan. He wasn't sure what he should do next, since the Hokage was probably incredibly suspicious of him now.

Naruto Uzumaki was gone, had fled the village. He cursed himself for underestimating his resolve. He hadn't expected him to do something so drastic. Danzo was certain that if he used Naruto's worst fears against him, he would automatically cave. He had been watching him for a while now, commanding his subordinates to watch his every move. He knew that Naruto despised being alone, and only had a few select people he was close to, who really cared about him. He had been certain that if he threatened to remove those people from his life, Naruto would come willingly. Now the boy had seemingly fallen off the face of the planet.

What to do? What would taking out Naruto's friends accomplish now? He had no idea where the boy was. Normally even if he wasn't here, as long as Danzo knew where he was and could contact him, he could go through with his plan. However, Danzo's ROOT members had turned up nothing so far, and Kakashi had yet to return with any news. There were no leads. How had he managed to disappear so effectively?

Danzo admonished himself for not simply using the stolen Sharingan that he had implanted in his right eye. Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyo Sharingan contained the jutsu he needed to bring anyone to his side, including Naruto Uzumaki. Initially, it was only to be used as a last resort should Naruto continue to refuse his request. He would be fully prepared to use Kotoamatsukami on him should he need to. But now, his chance was gone. Curse that child.

Danzo could only think of one solution at the moment. Naruto Uzumaki was missing, and his team was in disarray with Kakashi gone from the village. If Kakashi returned without Naruto, Danzo would have a plan in place. Until then, he would have to wait to go through with it.

But first…

Danzo stood expressionless as a young boy dropped to the ground before him, one knee on the floor.

"You have been given your first assignment as a member of ROOT. Are you prepared?" He asked the young boy. The boy wore all black, with a pair of red suspenders. His skin was extremely pale and he had charcoal hair that drooped down his face. He wore normal shinobi sandals and a short sword on his back, along with a leaf headband. His face showed no emotion.

"Yes, Lord Danzo."

"Good. This assignment could go one of two ways. If Kakashi Hatake returns with Naruto Uzumaki, then I want you to tail his every move. Do not allow yourself to be seen by the boy, and make sure he does not do anything that would compromise our organization. When the time comes, I may decide to use _that_ jutsu on him. However, if Kakashi Hatake does not return with Naruto, then your job will be to infiltrate Team 7. I will make sure you are assigned as the boy's replacement. Keep an eye on his teammates, and report back any news on Naruto Uzumaki's whereabouts. Can I trust you with this mission?" He asked the boy with a stern expression.

The boy turned his face up to Danzo and opened his eyes, revealing inky blackness with no color, similar to Sasuke's eyes.

"Yes sir. I will do what I must to complete the mission, no matter what."

"Very good. Should you be assigned to Team 7, you will go by the name Sai, is that understood?"

The boy continued to show only a blank canvas on his face. No expression to be found, "Yes sir."

* * *

Naruto had guided Jiraiya back to the house he had found for himself, well aware that the new place needed to be thoroughly cleaned. Naruto had decided Jiraiya could have the bigger bedroom, which would save him the trouble of needing to find something to do with it. Jiraiya dropped his backpack in the bedroom, and had joined Naruto in trying to clean the place up. They had grabbed all of the bedding from both of the bedrooms and walked outside, looking for a place to wash the sheets and blankets.

They walked along a trail to the east, when they came upon a small hot springs to the left. Naruto had now found a place not only to wash clothes, but to bathe as well, which was a huge relief.

Jiraiya and Naruto carried the bundles of blankets and sheets down to the springs and began washing them thoroughly. Jiraiya decided it was a good time to clue Naruto in on a few things.

"Naruto, you should know that I won't be able to stay with you here all the time." He said while scrubbing a red blanket.

Naruto paused from his task to look up at Jiraiya, "What do you mean? I thought you were going to train me."

"I am, don't worry. But I'll only be able to stay here for about two weeks at a time at the very most. I'll have to spend at least a week off of the island to check in on my spy network. Remember, it's my job to keep an eye on potential enemies and track their whereabouts, especially the Akatsuki. I can't do that very well while I'm here. It's too isolated. But, while I'm here I will work you hard, and I expect you to work hard when I'm gone." He explained.

Naruto averted his gaze back down to the sheet in his hands, "I see." He stated simply. He understood where Jiraiya was coming from, but he was still a bit bummed. He had gotten used to the idea of always having company in his isolation. But at least Jiraiya would be here most of the time.

Suddenly, Jiraiya's face formed a lecherous grin and he began to laugh, "Besides, I have to get off this island so I can sweet talk the pretty babes."

Naruto facepalmed.

' _Oh brother… this guy is my teacher! He's just a pervy old geezer!'_

"Tch. You're nothing but an old lech." Naruto accused.

"Hey! It's not that! I just have to do research for my books!"

Naruto paused, "Books? You're an author?"

Jiraiya dropped the blanket into the water, "What? You mean you haven't heard about my books? Make Out Paradise?"

Naruto proceeded to also drop his sheet, facepalming once again. He groaned, "You're kidding me?! You wrote those pervy books that Kakashi-sensei reads all the time?"

"Hey don't knock the books kid. Soon enough you'll discover the joys of a beautiful woman."

That struck a chord. Naruto knew that what Jiraiya was talking about wasn't what he was thinking about, but it still brought back that sharp pain he felt in his heart. Naruto thought Jiraiya was a huge perv, but maybe he could still talk to him about it.

"Hey... "

Jiraiya, noticing the abrupt change in his demeanor, gave Naruto his full attention, "What is it kid?"

"How do you… how do you know if you're in love?" He asked while averting his eyes.

"Well kid, you're a bit young for that don't you think?"

Naruto frowned, still gazing at the water. His eyes turned sad, not missed by Jiraiya even though Naruto tried to hide it, "I don't think so. I mean, I have no intention of returning, so it seems pointless. But I can't stop thinking about… someone. So I need to know."

Jiraiya began scratching his chin, looking to be in deep thought, "Well, I've been in love once kid, believe it or not. It's a complicated thing."

"But how can you tell if it's love?"

"I guess the one thing that makes it clear is the need to protect that person. You can't imagine your life without them. You think about them all the time, dream about them even. You feel a special connection to them that you can't explain, but you know it's there. When you're with them you're at your happiest. And, when you're apart there's a pain that only they can alleviate. That's how you know it's love." He told him.

Naruto continued to stare into the water, Jiraiya's words resonating with him. He clutched the area of his heart without realizing it, closing his eyes to try and hold in his tears.

' _So, the dream was right after all. I knew it. I'm in love with Hinata. That's why it hurts so much to be apart from her. That's why this sharp pain in my heart just won't go away. Damn…'_

Jiraiya could tell by the look on his face and his body language that Naruto was hurting, "I take it there's someone in Konoha you left behind."

Naruto's hand that was over his heart squeezed the area, the pain increasing a bit. As he stared at his reflection in the water, the image began to transform. The blonde hair replaced with indigo locks. Tanned skin with whiskers replaced with pale skin and pink cheeks. And his blue eyes replaced with magical looking pale lavender. Hinata had taken the place of his reflection. He figured that was appropriate considering she was his other half.

"Yeah… but it doesn't matter now. Even if I went back, I'm sure she probably hates me now. Before I left she told me she loved me and begged me to stay… and I left her behind anyway." He explained, the image of Hinata crying in front of him playing over and over again in his mind.

"Then I seriously doubt she hates you, even if you did do that." Jiraiya replied, causing Naruto to shift his gaze up to him, "Women can be fickle, they can change their minds on many things, but not love." He said smiling sadly, as if recalling a memory.

Naruto's eyes were wide, swimming with emotion, "What do you mean?"

"When a woman truly falls in love,nothing, not even death can change her feelings. Their love is truly something powerful. If this girl really does love you, her mind won't be changed just because you left her behind. I can guarantee you that." He assured him.

The pain in Naruto's heart subsided upon hearing that. He knew none of this mattered, but he still couldn't let it go. What Hinata thought of him would always matter, and he would always be thinking about her, no matter what. He allowed a ghost of smile to play on his lips.

"Thanks Pervy Sage. I'm gonna go hang up some of these sheets." He said, grabbing a few of the washed white sheets.

Jiraiya gaped up at him, "Pervy Sage?! You can't call me that!"

Naruto chuckled, "But it suits you ya know?" He joked, marching back up to the trail with the sheets. He made his way back to the house, his heart feeling a tad bit lighter.

He was so conflicted in his feelings for Hinata. Was it possible for someone to make you sad and happy at the same time? That's how he felt when Hinata came into his mind. He would always remember how the time he spent with her made him feel all giddy and warm inside. But then, his mind would always conjure up the image of Hinata standing in front of him, salty tears flowing down her cheeks. It destroyed him each time, an agonizing pain slicing through his lungs and stabbing into his heart. It hurt. It really hurt.

He was so frustrated with himself for not being able to let it go. He would remind himself that the only person allowed in his life now was Pervy Sage, no one else. He could never go back to the way things were, he knew that. Which meant anything regarding Hinata wouldn't matter. She would never be with him. He could never be allowed to love her like he wanted to. He could never kiss her, hug her, or take her out on a date. He could never marry her or have a family with her down the road. He knew all this, but his heart and soul refused to listen to him. It killed him, because he wanted more than anything in the world to show her his love now that he understood his feelings for her.

He sighed, maybe one day Hinata could fall in love with someone else and be happy. He wanted that for her. At least, he wanted to want that for her. But the truth was the thought of anyone else being with Hinata broke his heart even further.

Damn.

He tried his hardest to take his mind off of his heartache while he hung up the sheets on a branch near the house, inhaling the salty ocean air as the wind blew through his golden locks.

He just hoped that the Hokage had received his letter, and kept them all safe. That's what would make all of this pain worth it in the end.

' _ **Don't start doubting yourself now. If you go back you'll only make things worse.'**_ Kurama warned him.

Naruto exhaled, his heart feeling hollow.

' _I know…'_

* * *

 _ **Author's Note!**_

 **Hope you guys liked the chapter! It's the last one before I dive into the chunin exams!**

 **So, here's the deal. The chunin exams in this story will be very different from what happened in the original timeline. There's so many differences that I feel like a short summary isn't going to cut it, and it seems that several of you agreed with me on that. So, that being said, next chapter will be a three month time skip that will take place at the beginning of the exams. I will catch everyone up on Naruto's training, what's happened in Konoha in that time, and how everyone is dealing with Naruto's absence. It will probably be a pretty long chapter. I expect that the exams will take place over 2-3 chapters, but it is important to the story. There will be lots of action!**

 **There's a new poll up on my profile! This one will be up for a while, I really want to make sure I get everyone's input. It's a poll asking if you guys want the war in the story. I've had a few people tell me in the reviews, but I figure it's easier to get a true idea of what you guys want this way. So go check it out!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello my wonderful readers! I hope everyone is doing wonderful and enjoying the holiday season!**

 **I typed my fingers off the past couple of days getting out chapter 2 of my other story and chapter 8 of this one. I really wanted to get them out before I went out of town.** _ **I already said it, but just a reminder that I will be out of town from Dec. 22- Jan 5. It's likely that I will be unable to update during this time thanks to basically really terrible internet. Sorry again! I'll probably update in bulk when I get back, maybe 2-3 chapters at once. Anyway, just wanted to make sure everyone knew! No way would I abandon this fic!**_

 **Anyway, here is the beginning of the three month time skip and the start of the Chunin exams. Things are going to be quite different from the original plot, and I'm excited to type out what I have in mind! This chapter is pretty long.**

 **We'll catch up with the Hokage, Kakashi, Team 7, Hinata, and Naruto. Let's go!**

 **On to chapter 8!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters (sadly). Naruto is owned by M. Kishimoto.**

* * *

 **Time skip: 3 months**

"Alright! Another mission success for Team 8! Wahoo!" Shouted Kiba before shoveling another bite of pork into his mouth.

As usual, Team 8 was celebrating a successful mission with a meal at Yakiniku. Kiba continuously stuffed his face, occasionally tossing a piece to Akamaru. Shino, as always, sat quietly and ate his food slowly. Hinata just picked at hers. Barbeque pork wasn't exactly her favorite at the moment. For the past few months, ramen hit the spot more than anything. With a fish cake on top of course.

Kurenai's face lit up with a smile, "Enjoy it guys. You've all earned it. Your teamwork has been spectacular recently, I'm impressed."

Kiba grinned and leaned over to Hinata, making her a bit uncomfortable, "Yeah, me and Hinata-chan have particularly been clicking on the battlefield, right?"

Hinata scoots closer to the edge of the booth, attempting to regain some of her personal space, "Uh sure Kiba-kun, whatever you say."

Hinata had been rejecting Kiba at every turn these past few months, making it perfectly clear that she wasn't interested. Now she understood how Sakura felt when Naruto kept trying to ask her out, although she was much nicer about it than Sakura had been. She could never understand why Sakura wouldn't want to be with someone as wonderful as Naruto, but now it was clear. Sakura simply did not want to be with Naruto, because she had such strong feelings for Sasuke. It was the same with her. Kiba was actually a really great guy, he was handsome, and was fun to be around. But when it came down to it, she only had eyes for Naruto and that would never change. She wasn't sure what more she needed to do to make Kiba see this.

Things got even worse when Hinata had decided to change her style. A while back, she had decided that she needed to become a more confident, stronger version of herself. She needed a change. She decided she would let her hair grow out, and she changed her clothes. Nothing drastic, but it was a noticeable difference. She shedded her baggy jacket, no longer opting to hide behind it. She now wore a tight purple sleeveless top, tied at the waist with a burnt orange sash. Her pants were similar to before, just a tad more snug. Her sandals she wore remained the same, and she wore her headband around her neck, same as before.

No, it wasn't a drastic change in wardrobe, but it was enough to draw a bit of unwanted attention. No one would have been able to tell under her bulky jacket, but Hinata had developed quite early. She had done her best to hide it for a long time, but when the jacket came off it was obvious. She didn't want to hide herself anymore though. She was a confident Hinata. She would be proud of who she was, even be proud of her body.

Even if it made Kiba follow her around like a lost puppy.

Kurenai cleared her throat to get their attention, "Now, while I've got you all here, there's an important matter to discuss. The Chunin Exams."

Each of the Genin stopped eating and glued their eyes to their sensei.

"Kurenai-sensei, do you really think we're ready for that?" Hinata questioned her.

"Well, that's up to you three to decide. Only teams of three can enter, so if one of you doesn't want to participate, the other two have to sit out as well. You have to agree to enter or not enter as a team. So, do you think you're ready?"

"Hell yeah! Let's do it!" Shouted Kiba, Akamaru barking in agreement.

"Yes, I believe we can do it. I say we should at least try," Hinata added.

All eyes landed on the third member of Team 8, "I believe we should enter. Why? Because our teamwork has been quite good recently. I wish to participate."

Kurenai nodded, "Well then, it's settled. Here are the applications." Kurenai pulled out three folded sheets of paper and handed one to Hinata, Kiba, and Shino, "Make sure to fill these out and have them ready to go on the day of the exams."

Hinata felt excitement and anticipation swell inside of her chest. This is just the type of opportunity she had been waiting for. She would finally be able to test her skills, and see just how much she had improved the past few months. Perhaps if she proved herself in these exams, she would be allowed to take on the one mission she so desperately wanted to go on.

To find Naruto Uzumaki, and bring him home.

It had been a rough three months following Jiraiya's bombshell that Naruto would not be returning. She remembered being called into the Hokage's office and being told the news. Needless to say, she was not happy. Apparently, Jiraiya was training Naruto in an isolated location that he would not disclose to anyone, even the Hokage. Even though he assured everyone that Naruto was safe, Hinata wasn't convinced.

Even if Hinata believed that Naruto was safe from potential enemies, he wasn't safe from the darkness that lived inside of his own heart. His sadness, resentment, anger, hate, self-loathing, and loneliness were all things that could become his undoing. Hinata could sense all of that inside of him when he left. He was hurting, there was no doubt. She would save him, she had promised she would. Even if it had just been a dream version of Naruto she was talking to, she had still sworn to him that she would save him from the darkness. She wouldn't go back on her word.

Countless times she had begged the Hokage to allow her to search for her beloved, but he had always turned her down. He would say that she was too inexperienced, that she was just a Genin, and that she needed to hone her skills as a kunoichi before he would even consider something as dangerous as that. To her, that was an order to train harder.

By now, everyone in the village knew that Naruto was gone. Some had taken the news a bit hard, regretting their behavior that drove a young boy to run away. Others seemed relieved, almost happy. It angered Hinata more than anything, but she didn't act on it. The only reason she held her tongue in front of those people was because she knew that Naruto wouldn't want her getting in trouble because of him. So, she stayed quiet. To an extent anyway.

She had gotten in trouble one time, about a month after Naruto had left. A mask salesman had been talking a bit too loud about how he was "more than glad to be rid of the no-good demon fox boy". Hinata did not take kindly to that. She had remembered him. He had once refused Naruto service, and hit him in the head with a mask. She decided to get a little payback. She had gone up to the man, acting polite and pretending to buy the mask that looked like a fox. When he had handed it to her, she jumped back and gave herself some distance between herself and the man. Then, she hurled the mask like a shuriken with all her strength. It slammed into the man's head, breaking skin and knocking him unconscious. She stood over him and asked him to imagine that she was a grown man and he was a little boy. She told him to imagine how humiliating it would have been as a child to deal with that. Even though he was out cold, she continued to berate him.

Needless to say, she was in deep trouble. She had been scolded by both the Hokage and her father over the situation. He had told her that she had brought shame upon the Hyuga with her behavior, not a lecture she really minded hearing anymore, she was used to it. But it was what the Hokage had said to her that had stuck in her mind.

" _Naruto left so that you would be safe and happy. I don't think you acting out and getting in trouble makes you happy, does it? Although his decision may have been wrong, he had good intentions. Don't disappoint him Hinata. He wouldn't want you to get in trouble because of him. You know that."_

Yes, she knew. It was hard, but from that day forward there had been no more incidents.

While Kiba and Akamaru were engorging themselves on pork, and Kurenai and Shino ate their meals slowly, Hinata pushed her food away, suddenly not wanting to eat.

"Are you alright, Hinata?" Kurenai asked her with a concerned expression.

She averted her gaze from her sensei, "Yes, I'm fine. But I'm feeling kind of tired. I think I had better go home now. I should tell Father about the exams anyway." She explained. Hinata then excused herself and walked out of the restaurant. She liked being with her team, but sometimes thinking about Naruto got her a bit down and she either wanted to spar with Sakura, go be alone, or head to Ichiraku for a bowl of ramen. This time, she had decided to go home.

However, when Hinata had left the restaurant, she immediately heard an all too familiar voice calling out to her.

"Hinata-chan! Hey!"

Hinata turned to face the owner of the voice, recognizing it to be none other than her best friend, Sakura.

"Hi Sakura-chan!"

"What's up? Just get done with a mission?" She asked.

Hinata nodded, "Yes. Kurenai-sensei was actually just talking to us about the Chunin exams. We have decided to enter."

Sakura's eyes widened, "Really? That's great! I wonder if Kakashi-sensei will allow us to participate."

"I hope he does, you and Sasuke-kun have both been working really hard. And Sai seems to be quite skilled as well."

Sakura sighed, "Yes, that's true, but I wonder about our teamwork at the moment."

Hinata raised an eyebrow at her statement, "What do you mean, Sakura-chan?"

"Well, it's Sasuke-kun. He and Sai don't exactly see eye to eye. He doesn't trust Sai, and says that he couldn't possibly hope to replace Naruto. Which is kind of funny to me, considering how poorly Sasuke-kun used to speak of Naruto. I guess his true feelings have come forth now that we have a new teammate." She explained.

"And what about you? What do you think of Sai?"

Sakura frowned, "Well, he's okay. He's weird. He has very little emotion about anything, and he has called me ugly a few times," Sakura's face burned red at the memory, "but he doesn't actually seem that bad. I'm not sure if Sasuke-kun actually doesn't trust him, or if he just resents him for taking the third place on the team after Naruto left. But Sai keeps to himself a lot, so it's difficult to read him. I'm not sure what to make of him to be honest. I just hope they can find a way to get along."

Hinata smiled, trying to lighten the mood, "Well, maybe the Chunin exams will be the perfect opportunity to improve your teamwork! I hope Kakashi-sensei recommends your team. After all, we have to show everyone how strong we've gotten, right?"

Sakura blinked, then laughed. She gave Hinata a thumbs up, "Right!"

* * *

"Hah!"

Sasuke shouted out as he continued to drill into the wooden posts.

He had already been practicing his fire style jutsus, perfecting them as much as possible. Now he had been fine tuning his taijutsu skills, all the while using his Sharingan, getting a feel for using it for long periods of time. It took its toll on him, but he was getting used to the strain on his chakra.

Sasuke had been pushing himself like crazy these past few months. Why? Because he was absolutely furious.

Not only was Naruto not coming back to the village, but he was being trained by Jiraiya, the legendary Sannin.

It wouldn't be long before that so-called loser became strong, and Sasuke was pissed.

It wasn't enough that Naruto a huge distraction to his goal of revenge by running off, but now he was trying to surpass Sasuke?

He wouldn't have it. He couldn't let Naruto surpass him. He would become as strong as possible, drag Naruto home and kick his ass, then go after Itachi and get his revenge.

One thing was for sure, as much as he hated to acknowledge it, he wouldn't be able to go after Itachi until this issue with Naruto was resolved. Naruto was consuming his thoughts too much. For some reason, he just knew that he and Naruto had some unspoken bond, a connection. What it was, he didn't know, but the more he thought on it the more he wanted to bash the blonde's head in for making his life so much more difficult.

"Sasuke."

Oh great, here we go.

Sasuke swiveled his head, glaring at the person who spoke his name.

"What do you want, Sai?"

The pale boy who looked surprisingly similar to Sasuke pulled out a weak smile, "Kakashi-sensei has asked me to gather you and Sakura. It seems he would like to speak to us about something."

Sasuke continued to glare, "Tch. Fine. Whatever. Let's go get Sakura. And wipe that fake smile off your face. You're not fooling anyone." He remarked as he strode over to Sai, never losing the hateful look on his face.

"Ah. I see. It seems I still haven't gotten it down yet. I'll have to keep practicing."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Who the hell practices smiling?

He loathed Sai. He didn't trust him one bit.

A few days after it was revealed that Naruto wasn't coming back anytime soon, Kakashi had introduced a new teammate to round out Team 7: Sai.

Immediately Sasuke didn't like him. Furthermore, he hated that people kept remarking on how similar they were to each other. He was nothing like that emotionless artsy fool. No way.

He had a bad feeling about Sai, he couldn't put his finger on it, but he just didn't like his presence at all. Not to mention the fact that Naruto's spot had been filled so quickly. That didn't sit well with Sasuke, not one bit.

As far as he was concerned, Sai was nothing more than a temporary stand in for Naruto. Once the blonde came back, Sai would be kicked to the curb and that would be that. Nothing more.

He just hoped that he would have the chance to make that happen soon. He knew that both Hinata and Sakura wanted to go out and look for Naruto as well. However, the Hokage had rejected any notion of that. He kept telling them they weren't ready to take on such a task. But Sasuke would make himself ready. He would push himself past his limits, until the Hokage had no choice but to let him chase Naruto.

And get rid of this nuisance known as Sai.

* * *

Team 7 had gathered together at the bridge on the outskirts of the village. Sai was now sporting a reddened cheek thanks to a punch from Sakura, a consequence for greeting her with the phrase, "Hey, ugly."

Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose, when would this baka learn?

Kakashi coughed, and all eyes shifted to him, "Alright guys, the Chunin exams will be starting in a couple of days, and I would like for you three to participate. It's up to you, but just know that even if you don't think you'll make Chunin, it will be a great opportunity to go up against the best and improve your skills."

Sasuke crossed his arms, "As if you even needed to ask me. I'm in."

"Me too," Sakura chimed in, "I have to keep getting stronger, and this is the perfect chance to do that."

All eyes turned to Sai, who once again stood there wearing his awkward smile, "Well, if Sasuke and Sakura are going to participate, then I should as well. After all, we are a team are we not?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes again, "Whatever, loser."

Sakura's eyes lit up with excitement, and she turned to Sasuke, "Sasuke-kun, we should go meet up with Hinata-chan tomorrow. Team 8 is participating too."

Sasuke sighed, "Sure. That's fine with me."

Kakashi produced three slips of paper, and gave one to each of the Genin, "These are the applications for the exams. Fill them out and turn them in when you go to the exams. And don't be late."

"Look who's talking Sensei! CHA!" Sakura scolded him.

"Easy, now. No need to jump onto me." He said, holding his hands up defensively.

Sasuke smirked. Now that Sakura wasn't one of his pathetic fangirls anymore, he actually found that he enjoyed her company. A rare commodity for him, considering that he disliked most people in general. He, Sakura, and Hinata had become great friends these past few months, training together, eating together, and making future plans together. They all seemed to center around finding Naruto. It was an important goal for all of them, and they would make it happen. Together.

* * *

His weary eyes scanned over the letters and markings on the aged scroll, attempting to decipher its secrets. His finger followed along each design, ingraining it into his memory, hoping beyond hope he could store it away for future use.

He stood to his feet, memorizing the series of hand signs.

' _Okay, it was Tori, Inu, Ne, Tatsu, Ne, Ushi, Tori, Ne, Saru.'_ He rehearsed in his mind as his hands formed the appropriate signs.

He molded his chakra, preparing himself to attempt the jutsu once again.

"Fuinjutsu: Memory Lock!"

He pressed his index finger to his forehead, focusing his chakra there intensely. Finally, the jutsu faded and…

Nothing.

Damn. He slumped back down onto the worn out couch, frustrated beyond belief that he couldn't get the jutsu to work. The blonde ninja let out an exasperated groan, even though he had made a decent amount of progress with the sealing scrolls, he still wasn't satisfied.

This was one of the weeks Jiraiya was gone, and Naruto, as usual, used that time to study the scrolls he had collected when he first arrived at Uzu. So far he had managed learn all there was to know about his own eight tetragram seal, and had become an expert in using storage seals, but he had yet to move beyond that. Lately he had been attempting a high level fuinjutsu. It was called the Memory Lock, and it was exactly how it sounded. If you can perform the jutsu, all you have to do is focus on a memory and seal it away inside your mind. Not only can no one else reach it, but neither can you. Apparently, this jutsu was used long ago to keep secrets from enemies. No one can torture you for the information, and not even those who possess abilities like the Yamanaka clan can access them. The only drawback is if you don't tell someone else before you seal a memory, or write it down beforehand, you forget which memory you sealed. For Naruto, he had written down one memory, never changing which one he wanted to erase:

 _The night I left the village._

It was simple. He wanted to forget the anguish that threatened to consume him every single night. He wanted to forget how he had left his home behind, and had abandoned Hinata. He wanted to forget how she looked, crying, hurting over him. A sharp pain seized his heart every day over it, and if it actually managed to die down, it left him feeling hollowed out. Void of life or feelings at all. Just numb.

However, he had yet to successfully perform this jutsu. It was something that troubled him greatly. As soon as he had read the scroll, he knew he wanted to learn this jutsu. He thought maybe if the sharp pain in his chest was too intense at any given moment, he could use it to get some temporary relief. Maybe it was a coward's way out, but he had to do something.

He could feel himself becoming a colder person, day by day. He hated it. He didn't want to be that kind of person, someone who shuts off his heart and distances himself from others, but he wasn't sure if he could help it. His soul was shrouded in darkness, he could feel it growing inside of him. The hate and scorn of the villagers, the regret of not being able to save Iruka-sensei, not knowing the love and comfort of parents, and the heartbreak he felt over Hinata; it was all taking a huge toll on him. The complete solitude he experienced certainly didn't help things. If he didn't have Pervy Sage training him whenever he did, he was sure he would have lost his heart completely by now, lost all sense of himself.

He let out an irritated sigh, and closed the scroll. He had expended a lot of chakra attempting the jutsu, and he needed a break. Maybe after he rested he would create some shadow clones to spar against. After all, he had just recently learned the Rasengan and wanted to get a feel for the right time to use it in battle. It was an incredible jutsu, combining rotation, power, and containment of chakra into the palm of his hand. It was easily the most destructive jutsu he had seen in his young life.

It had taken him about a month, but he had managed to master it. He had been determined to do so when he learned that his own father had created it. He felt as though he finally inherited something from him.

His eyes fell on a small picture on the coffee table, one that Pervy Sage had given him the second day he was here. It was worn, and one of the corners was ripped a little bit. He said he had carried the picture with him all this time, and now he wanted Naruto to have it.

The picture was now a priceless treasure to him. It was a picture of his parents, taken not too long before their deaths. On the left, was his father dressed in a flak jacket and a white jacket with red flames on it. Naruto thought it looked awesome. He wore a warm smile, and had his arm around Kushina. His mother, who he had never seen before until the picture, wore a tan dress with a blue shirt underneath. She was stunning. She had fiery red hair that went down to her waist and indigo colored eyes. Just by the picture, Naruto could tell that while he got his hair and eye color from his father, his facial features were from his mother. Except the whiskers of course. Those were unique to him. In the picture, his mother had one hand placed over her swollen belly, a look of love in her eyes. Every time his eyes landed on that in particular, his emotions bubbled over and he was actually able to feel a little bit happy. There was a time when his parents were happy and truly wanted him. It was good to know that.

Jiraiya had told him about his parents. He had told him that his father was meticulous and soft hearted. He even had a tendency to be bashful and shy sometimes, except when it came to battle. In that moment, he was deadly and fierce. He had been a prodigy, a true genius when it came to ninjutsu. He was a talented shinobi who achieved his dream of becoming Hokage.

His mother, on the other hand, acted a lot more like him. She was loud, abrasive, and tough. She never let anyone push her around and worked hard to become a strong ninja who possessed the Nine-tails chakra. He said that they were great together. True soulmates.

It had all gone wrong the night of Naruto's birth, just like Gramps Hokage had told him. Kushina's seal was undone and Nine-tails escaped, destroying most of the village and taking many lives.

Naruto knew, after hearing that again, that he had made the right choice. He never wanted to put the village in danger like that.

A puff of smoke appearing out of nowhere caught Naruto's attention, giving him a reprieve from his depressing thoughts.

A small red toad appeared from the smoke, croaking and carrying a scroll on its back. A message from Jiraiya.

Naruto accepted the scroll and thanked the toad. He saw that there was a simple seal on the scroll, as there always was when Jiraiya had sent news to Naruto. It always had to be confidential.

Naruto made a hand sign, "Release!"

The seal disappeared from the scroll and Naruto proceeded to roll it open on the coffee table, examining its contents.

 _Been watching You-know-who closely. Seems to be frequenting a certain great village in the Wind Country. They are making me suspicious. I expect we may be needed soon. Possible events may occur. Be prepared._

 _-J_

You-know-who was Orochimaru, he knew that. Okay, and he was visiting a great village in the Wind Country? Well that would be Sunagakure. So, they're possibly conspiring with Orochimaru to invade Konoha? This was bad.

Naruto's chest began to tighten and fear crept up his spine and seeped into his skin. All he could think about was Hinata. He wanted to protect her at all costs. If the village was in danger, that meant she, Team 7, Kakashi-sensei, Gramps, Teuchi, and Ayame were all in danger too. If they needed his protection, he wouldn't hesitate to be there for them. Resoluteness filled him. He would make sure he was ready.

Naruto ran into his room to grab a blank scroll and began to write his reply. Thanks to his practice with sealing, he could now send replies to Jiraiya without having to worry so much. He wrote what he needed to, confirming he had seen Jiraiya's message, and tied it onto the toad's back. He thanked him again, and the toad disappeared in a puff of smoke.

 _Understood. Will be ready._

 _-N_

With that, he leapt off of the couch and sprinted outside, breathing in the salty air of the island. He found a good open spot to train, and then made his favorite hand sign.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

* * *

"Hinata, what's this I hear about you participating in the Chunin exams?" Hiashi questioned her, cold eyes staring at her intently.

She met his gaze, attempting to sound confident. It was still difficult for her with him, "Y-yes Father. M-my teammates and I have decided to enter. We feel that our teamwork is really g-good right now." She was infuriated with herself for still stuttering around her father. His eyes just made her so uneasy.

"Ooh, big sister! Good luck!" Hanabi said cheerfully, taking a bite of rice.

Hinata smiled. Often times Hiashi didn't like Hanabi being too praiseworthy of Hinata, thinking she wasn't deserving of it she supposed. But he let this one slide, and Hinata was glad, "Thank you Hanabi."

Hiashi cleared his throat, "Well, this is good. The exams should make you stronger. Neji's team will be participating as well. I'm expecting big things from him. I know he'll make the Hyuga proud."

Hinata swallowed against the lump in her throat, trying not to let her emotions show. Hinata had been working so hard recently, mastering the Air Palm, Eight Trigrams: Thirty Two Palms, and even created her own jutsu. It was a defensive jutsu known as Protective Eight Trigrams: Sixty Four Palms. She had also extended the reach of her Byakugan. All this, and her father was only concerned with Hanabi and Neji, still seeing her as a disappointment. Why wasn't anything she did good enough for him?! Why couldn't he believe in her for once? Neji didn't even want his praise, he hated the Main Branch! Yet her father constantly bragged on him.

She'd had enough. She pushed her food away from her, suddenly not feeling hungry anymore, "Excuse me Father, Hanabi. I'm not feeling well. I think I'll go to bed early tonight." She didn't wait for his permission as she stood from her seat and marched out of the dining room, climbing the stairs to her bedroom and slamming the door shut. Maybe he would scold her later for her "improper behavior" but she didn't care. She was so angry at him. She had improved so much in the past few months, pushing herself beyond her previous limits time after time. Yet, he didn't care at all. He hadn't bothered to notice because he was too fixated on Hanabi and Neji.

She knew that if she opted to stay in her room she would just start crying, so she made an exit through her bedroom window. She needed to talk to someone, and the obvious choice was her best friend. It was currently 7:30, maybe she would feel like heading out to Ichiraku with her.

Hinata hopped down from the roof, onto the tree branch, and then down to the ground. She ran quickly through the village towards the Haruno residence, hoping her best friend could hang out. She marched up the short stairway of their building and rang the doorbell.

A minute later she could hear the sound of shuffling feet, and the doorknob began to rattle. The door swung open, and there stood Mrs. Haruno, strawberry blonde hair slicked back and wearing a simple white and pink dress.

"Oh! It's little Hinata-chan! How are you dear?" She greeted her cheerfully.

Sakura's mother was almost too happy to see her every time. Hinata suspected that she was thrilled that Sakura was friends with Main Branch Hyuga member. But either way, at least she was nice and had a warm presence about her.

"I'm good Mrs. Haruno, thank you. Is Sakura available?"

"Oh of course dear!" She turned her head towards the living room, "Sakura! Hinata-chan is here for you!" She shouted as she stepped aside. A few seconds later, Sakura appeared wearing her normal red outfit minus the Konoha headband. It was currently replaced with a pink ribbon.

"Hey Hinata-chan. What's up?"

"Do you feel like going with me to Ichiraku? I could really use some company right now?" She asked her, the bit of dejection clear in her voice.

Sakura smiled, "Sure, of course. Just let me put on my sandals and we'll go."

* * *

When they arrived at Ichiraku, Teuchi and Ayame greeted the two as usual. Hinata had become a regular at Ichiraku, craving ramen all the time. Not to mention it was wonderful to talk to people who loved Naruto, and Teuchi and Ayame truly did. Hinata ordered tonkotsu ramen with a couple of fish cake toppings, and Sakura just ordered a small miso with shrimp.

Sakura turned her gaze to her friend, "So, what did your dad do this time?"

This had become a routine unfortunately. Hinata would always become frustrated with her father, and Sakura was her outlet.

She sighed, "I told him about the Chunin exams and he didn't care one bit. Then he went on to say that Neji would be participating too and that he knew that Neji would make the Hyūga proud. It's always the same. He rains down praise on Hanabi and Neji for having all the natural talent but he never even acknowledges how hard I work to catch up. I can't stand him!"

Sakura placed her hand on her shoulder, "Hey, I know your frustrated. But everyone else sees how much you've improved. You and I have trained so hard together! And I know for sure that if Naruto was here, he'd be so proud of you."

Hinata couldn't help but smile at that, because she knew it was true. And if she was being honest, Naruto's approval meant much more to her than her father's. But it was more difficult now because her father was here, and Naruto wasn't.

Sakura continued, "And look at it this way, if you kick ass during the exams, he'll have no choice but to acknowledge you, right? You just have to wipe the floor with all of the competitors!" She said as she fist pumped the air.

Hinata grinned, that was right. She just had to do great in the exams, and her father would have to notice how much she had improved. She would at least need to do as well as Neji, she couldn't be outdone by him again. If she was, no matter how well she did, Hiashi would only notice him instead of her. She would have to train hard.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, do you think Sasuke-kun would spar with us tomorrow? His speed and agility would be perfect to go against for training."

Sakura blushed a bit and giggled, "Sure, I already asked him about that when we met with Kakashi-sensei and Sai earlier."

"How are things going with him by the way?" Hinata questioned her.

Sakura's cheeks burned crimson as she smiled and looked down at her hands, which were folded in her lap.

"Good, I suppose. I mean, it's not like he shows much romantic interest in me, but we talk a lot and spend plenty of time together so I won't complain. And I finally think he respects me as a teammate. One thing has been confirmed for me these past few months though."

"And what's that?"

She turned to face Hinata, flashing her a big goofy grin, "I really love him!"

Hinata giggled, "Didn't you already know that, though?"

Sakura began nervously twirling her fingers in her hair, "Well, yes. But when we became a team I questioned myself. I had never really taken the time to get to know Sasuke-kun. I mean, the real him inside. I wondered if the competition I had with Ino had spurred me on more. But now that we're spending time together and I'm learning all kinds of things about him, I realize my feelings for him aren't shallow. I really do love Sasuke-kun. I just hope that one day he can return my feelings."

Hinata didn't miss the hint of sadness at her last statement. She placed her hand on Sakura's shoulder, "I know how you feel Sakura-chan. I've always hoped that Naruto-kun would love me back as well."

"Oh cut it out Hinata-chan! He's totally into you. If he were still here you two would definitely be a couple." Sakura responded.

Hinata removed her hand from Sakura's shoulder and placed her hands on her knees. Her eyes held a sadness in them, and immediately Sakura realized that she had messed up.

"I'm sorry Hinata-chan, I wasn't thinking. I know that doesn't make things easier for you."

Hinata shook her head, "It's okay Sakura-chan, I know you were just trying to be nice. But I believe that I will find Naruto-kun, and bring him back. If he wants to be with me then great, but if not then oh well. I just want him to be happy."

Just then, Ayame placed their bowls in front of them on the bar, "That boy will be back before you know it, and he'd have to be a fool not to love you Hinata-chan!" She assured her with a smile.

"That's right!" Added Teuchi, "Just make sure you guys come here for your first date!"

Both girls giggled, and dug into their ramen. Hinata hoped with all her heart that they were right.

* * *

Sai sat on the top of the Hokage monument, taking in the various sights and sounds of Konohagakure. Even though he had been considered a Leaf shinobi for a long time, he spent so many years underground and away from the village, training under Danzo. Now that he was part of a squad, he was able to move more freely, and feel like an actual citizen of the village.

He took out his sketchbook and paintbrush, creating a scene captured in time on the paper. Atop the mountain, he could see children playing in the park, parents taking their kids home for the day, and Jonin training on a field to become stronger. So many things going on, all intermingling together to create the perfect artwork. As he stroked the brush along the paper, he searched his own heart and mind, trying, hoping to feel a spark of something.

Ever since a couple of months ago, when he went on the mission with Team 7 to the Land of Waves, he had began to change. When he finally became an ANBU under Danzo, his heart had been completely cleansed of all emotion. He couldn't feel them even if he wanted to, he had forgotten how. But when he saw the town that Tazuna, the bridge builder who hired them, had taken them to, he began to feel an uncomfortable sensation bubbling up inside of him. It became even stronger when he met Tazuna's grandson, Inari.

Inari was full of emotion, something Sai had come to recognize as sadness and anger. Apparently the man who had ravaged the town with scandal and violence, Gato, had taken out the man Inari knew as his father. Sai never knew his parents, he had been an orphan as long as he could remember. Danzo had always told him that such attachments were unimportant, and only impeded the mission at hand. However…

The weird sensation Sai felt would get more intense the longer he was there. Then, Sai met Haku. He didn't know it was Haku at the time. He actually had thought it was a woman. He had been drawing in his sketchbook while Sasuke and Sakura trained, and Haku came by and they talked. Some things became quite clear to him that day.

* * *

 _Flashback_

" _That's quite lovely." A voice from behind Sai spoke._

 _Sai shifted his gaze from his sketchbook and looked behind him for the source of the voice. He had been sitting in the grass, drawing the scenes of nature to pass the time. Behind him, he saw a young woman wearing a pink dress with a red sash around her waist. She had dark hair down her back, and appeared to be carrying a basket of herbs._

" _You think so?" He replied, then turned back to continue_

" _Yes. I saw your friends over there, it seems that they are training for something. Why aren't you with them?" The woman asked him._

" _Should I be? They are practicing something I already know how to do. And I am already strong."_

" _Are you?" She responded._

 _Was this woman questioning his skill?_

" _Yes. I have been trained well. And I wouldn't call them friends. I don't suppose I have any of those."_

" _I see. That's a shame."_

 _He stopped his drawing and turned to her again, "Is it?"_

" _Indeed. They will become stronger than you."_

" _Why do you suppose that is? I have great skill." He reasoned._

 _The women smiled softly, "Let me ask you, your teammates, do they have people that are close to them, people they care for?"_

 _Sai thought on it for a moment. He wasn't good with any feelings or emotions, but he knew that they at least cared for each other, and they especially cared for Naruto Uzumaki._

" _Yes, I suppose they do."_

" _Then, that is why. You see, when you have someone precious that you want to protect, that is when you become truly strong."_

" _Someone… precious?" He asked._

" _Yes. When you have someone like that, you will push yourself to new lengths to protect them, to be there for them, to help them in anyway you can. It is always a stronger motivator than gaining power just to have it. Believe me, I know what I speak of."_

 _Sai shifted his gaze to the ground, he pondered on what this woman told him. Is what she was saying true? He wouldn't know. Danzo had always told him that friends and love were unnecessary burdens that would hold him back._

" _I see. Thank you, Miss. You have given me much to think about."_

 _She chuckled. "No problem. However, I am a boy."_

" _Is that so? You're quite good at hiding it." Sai countered._

 _He smiled, and then turned to walk away, "Yes. I suppose so. Take my advice, and you will become strong."_

* * *

Later on during the mission, the group had encountered Haku and Zabuza on the bridge. Sasuke and Sai were struggling to hold off Haku, when all of a sudden he disappeared. It turned out that Zabuza had been in a precarious position, and Haku had jumped in to take a fatal blow for him.

After hiding his own feelings for a long time, Zabuza showed what Sai had come to know as grief, even though he had previously stated that Haku was only a weapon for him. Then, a dying Zabuza went on to slaughter most of Gato's forces, and then Gato himself. It was amazing.

' _You see, when you have someone precious that you want to protect, that is when you become truly strong.'_

Those words hadn't left his mind. He had been attempting since then to test the theory that Haku had presented to him. He had noticed Naruto Uzumaki's teammates, as well as Hinata Hyuga working hard to become stronger, and their motivation was to bring him back and keep him safe. He was beginning to believe that what Haku said might be true.

He still felt loyalty to Danzo, but at the same time, he felt the desire to become closer to his teammates. He was just supposed to be watching them and gathering intel, but it had turned into so much more than that. He needed to witness a bond, to experience it. Maybe then… he could remember…

He thought of his picture book that was a memento of his brother. For some reason that he did not understand, he couldn't bring himself to part with it. Not only that, but he couldn't finish the drawings that he had started. It was as if the feelings that had prompted him to begin the book had vanished from his heart. He needed to experience this bond that his teammates had, see it for himself.

Maybe then, he could remember, and finally become truly strong like Haku had told him. He would do his best during the Chunin exams to form a bond with his teammates. He would try his best to bring some sort of feeling or emotion to the surface.

And maybe he could find out what made them so desperate to save the one known as Naruto Uzumaki.

* * *

Naruto stepped into the scalding water of the hot spring, trying to relax and rinse the dirt and grime from his overworked body. His muscles ached and his eyelids were drooping. He had pushed himself to the limit, but he had improved in his use of shadow clones as well as the Rasengan. Not to mention he had gotten better at utilizing storage scrolls for weapons in battle. He could feel himself becoming stronger, and that's what made the soreness worth it.

As he settled into the bath, he allowed his mind to drift off. He wondered what the rest of his classmates were up to now. Did everyone know he was gone by now? He figured they probably did. He wondered if the Hokage was keeping them all safe. It wasn't that he didn't trust him to do so, it's just that he couldn't help but worry.

He, of course, wondered about Hinata. What was she up to? Was she training and going on missions? Was she getting stronger, making friends? Did she think about him like he thought of her? The selfish side of him hoped she did.

Thinking of everyone at the village brought him sadness, but he didn't want to stop thinking about them. The bonds that he shared with them kept him sane, and kept his heart from becoming even colder. He wanted desperately to cling to who he was before all of the madness occurred after Iruka-sensei's death. He wanted to be that Naruto again, but wasn't sure if it was possible. Maybe as long as he kept Hinata and the others in his heart, he could retain a bit of himself.

He sighed, and began scrubbing his skin thoroughly. As he moved, he felt his foot hit something that felt hot and metallic.

He reached down under the water to investigate, and picked up whatever it was.

Naruto held the hot metal in his hands, and immediately moved his hands down to the handle. It appeared that it was a sword, although it was unlike one that he had seen before. The hilt was bright orange, which he liked. It had a round ruby on the handle, with the Uzumaki emblem underneath. The material of the sword was intriguing. It was entirely red, but giving off no light whatsoever. It had him entranced just looking at it. What kind of metal was this thing made of? It must have belonged to a shinobi from his clan from a long time ago. He decided he would hang on to the unique weapon. Perhaps Pervy Sage would know what kind of metal it was made from.

As he cleaned himself and stepped from the hot spring, another toad poofed into existence. He frantically sprinted over to his clothes and pulled on a pair of pants, complaining about how Pervy Sage had the worst timing.

He took the scroll from the toad's back and undid the seal, revealing another message from Jiraiya.

 _Chunin exams are beginning soon, the perfect opportunity for you-know-who. I believe that's when it will happen. We may leave sooner than expected. Be ready._

 _-J_

The Chunin exams? Man, it was time for those, huh? He wondered if his old teammates were participating. Would Hinata participate too? He sighed, the sadness filling him up again. How he wished he could join them. In the past, he knew that he would have been totally amped to compete and prove himself. It would be another step towards becoming Hokage. Now, it was something else that was happening without him.

Oh well. What's done is done. No matter what, he would protect the village and those precious to him, even if he had to do it from the shadows.

That's what the Hokage does anyway, right?

* * *

Hinata took a deep breath as she stood in front of the academy doors. This is where the first round of the exams were being held, where she would be able to make her mark. She would make her teammates and friends proud, make her father see her, and show the Hokage she was strong enough to go after Naruto.

Yesterday Sakura, Sasuke, and herself had sparred and trained together all day, honing their taijutsu skills and practicing new ninjutsu. It made her happy that she had friends that cared about Naruto as well, and were just as determined as she was to bring him home. It made her believe that they could really do it. That they could accomplish anything together.

Determination consumed her heart and mind. She would do this. She would succeed. She had no choice.

As Kiba and Shino stood on each side of her, she felt confidence swell in her chest. They walked forward together, through the doors and into the next step in their journey.

' _Naruto-kun, I won't hide in the background anymore. I won't stand and cry before you, unable to do anything. I will prove myself. I will find you, and save you from the darkness that is inside of your heart. I'll walk beside of you, I'll hold your hand, and I'll make sure you achieve your dream. That's a promise, and I never go back on my word. That's my nindo, my ninja way!'_

* * *

 _ **Author's Note!**_

 **Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! I'm thrilled that I was able to update before I left town, and I'm sad that I won't be able to update. I really love publishing new chapters and seeing the responses. You guys have been so instrumental in me continuing this story with confidence.**

 **Next chapter will begin round 1 and 2 of the exams, and enter Orochimaru! DUN DUN DUN!**

 **Anyway, I'll see you all next chapter, which will be out on January 5th! Everyone please enjoy the holiday season and Happy New Year!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello there! I'm baaaack! I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season. Happy 2018!**

 **Appreciate everyone being patient, and I'm happy to say that all is well back home with my family. My dad is home and resting, so I'm relieved. Thank you for the kind words.**

 **Along with issues at home, this chapter frustrated me. I literally wrote half of it, trashed it and started all over at one point. It was very frustrating! But I finally got it to where I liked it.**

 **This chapter begins stages 1 & 2 of the Chunin exams, and next chapter will incorporate the prelims and the month between rounds 2 & 3\. That ends up making the Chunin exams arc 4 chapters, which I had hoped to keep under 3, but oh well! I hope what I write for this arc will keep everyone entertained :)**

 **Here we go, on to chapter 9!**

 ** _EDIT_ : It's been brought to my attention that someone else on this site did a story with a black sword. I don't know who it was, or what story it is, but I don't want to seem like I'm trying to steal someone's ideas, because that's definitely NOT the case. I would never do that. So, with that being said I changed the color of it. I changed it in Chapter 8 as well. I don't want any conflict, so I decided changing the color was the best idea.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. Naruto is owned by M. Kishimoto.**

* * *

Hinata waltzed through the double doors of the large classroom with Kiba and Shino on either side of her. She was in complete shock at the sheer amount of genin that were participating the exams. She had no idea so many people took the exam! She was able to spot headbands from all sorts of villages, such as Amegakure, Kusagakure, Kirigakure, Sunagakure, as well as others.

Initially, her first reaction was to be intimidated by the sizeable amount of competitors, most who seemed to be quite a bit older. However, she immediately remembered that there was no way Naruto would allow himself to be intimidated if he were here. He would probably tell the entire room who he was and that he wasn't afraid of them. She had to stifle a giggle at the thought. That was just the inspiration she needed.

She could do this.

"Hinata-chan! Over here!"

Hinata swiveled around towards the sound of her name, recognizing the voice of her pink haired best friend.

"Hi Sakura-chan! Hi Sasuke-kun! How are you?" She asked politely, not yet noticing Sai trailing behind the pair.

"Hn."

"We're fantastic of course! Team 7 is in the Chunin exams! I can't wait!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Yes, I am quite intrigued as well." Added Sai, waltzing up to the group.

Hinata smiled at him warmly, "Hello, Sai-kun. It's good to see you again. I'm sure you'll all do great!"

"But Team 8 is who's really gonna kick some ass!" Chimed in Kiba.

Shino joined them, seeming emotionless as usual, "Kiba, there's no need to be so overconfident. Why? Because there are a large number of competitors, and we're only rookies."

Suddenly, the doors opened again, revealing the rest of the Rookie 9.

Shikamaru was the first to speak, "Oh man, what a drag. You guys are here too?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes, "What's that supposed to mean Shikamaru?"

"Pftt, you guys are too troublesome to deal with. I was just hoping to avoid it."

Ino sauntered over to Team 7, ignoring Sakura along the way.

"Oh Sasuke-kun! How exciting! Looks like we'll be in the exams together! Aren't you excited?" She asked him, draping herself over him.

Sasuke simply gave her an irritated look and ignored her, before walking off. Ino watched him march off, feeling annoyed.

"Ino, may I ask you a question?"

Ino turned to see Sai, the other member of Team 7 smiling awkwardly at her. In her opinion, Sai was pretty cute too, but Ino still had her sights set on Sasuke.

"Sure Sai, what is it?"

"Well, you see, I am a bit confused. You spend a lot of time trying to get Sasuke's attention. I've read that when someone does that, they usually like the other person in a romantic sense. And yet, Sasuke seems to be greatly disinterested in your advances. Why do you continue?" He questioned her.

Ino simply giggled at his awkwardness, "Well, Sai, I know Sasuke-kun isn't too interested right now, but I can't really give up can I?"

Sai tilted his head, "Why not? You're a very pretty girl. I wouldn't think it would be difficult for you to find someone else to date." He stated plainly.

Ino's eyes widened and she felt her cheeks begin to burn.

"You… you think I'm pretty, Sai?"

He closed his eyes and smiled again, "Why, yes I do. It seems rather obvious. Anyway, my team seems to have walked away without me. So, if you'll excuse me, Ino." Then, Sai headed over to where his teammates along with Team 8 had walked off to.

"Hello ugly. Seems you ran off without me."

Sakura spun around in an instant and whacked Sai on the head so hard it immediately left a sizeable lump.

"SAI! YOU BAKA! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT?!"

Sai held his head with both hands, trying in vain to stop the pain, "Sorry, it's just the first thing I always think when I see you."

 _Whack!_

"Ow!"

"SAI… YOU….!"

"Woah there, you guys may want to dial it down a notch." Came a voice from beside them.

All six genin froze before looking over to see another fellow competitor from Konoha. He wore a dark purple suit with a gray t-shirt underneath, and a cream colored band wrapped around his waist. He also wore shinobi sandals and a kunai holster on his right leg. The genin had silver hair tied back in a low ponytail with large round glasses on his face. He was eyeing the young group with a smirk.

Sasuke looked at him suspiciously, "And who are you?"

He grinned, "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Kabuto Yakushi. You guys seem to be attracting quite a bit of attention, just take a look around." He said as he gestured around the room.

All of the rookies now heard what Kabuto had said and gazed around the room. It seemed that not only were all eyes on them, but all those who were watching them appeared incredibly irritated. It was as if everyone there was imagining what it would be like to kill them. They all gulped nervously, trying to ignore the feelings of dread sneaking their into their systems.

Sakura was the first to speak up, "I… I see. Thanks for the warning."

"Don't mention it. You guys are new, so I figure I would warn you. People get pretty tense during these exams. You don't want to piss anyone off."

"What about you?" Inquired Shikamaru, "Clearly this isn't your first time in the exams."

Kabuto chuckled, "Afraid not. This is my fourth try."

All of the rookies, with the exception of Sasuke, Sai, and Shikamaru looked on in shock.

"Fourth?! Yikes, so the exams are really difficult then." Ino chimed in.

Kabuto nodded, "Yes, definitely. And this year's group may be the toughest in a long time. I've been keeping up to date on all of the candidates, gathering as much intel as possible with my ninja info cards." He said as he held up a deck of orange cards.

Hinata was interested now, "Ninja info cards?"

"Indeed. All I have to do is put a bit of chakra into them, and information pops up about whoever I'm wanting to look into."

Sasuke stepped forward, "If that's the case, I have a couple of people I want to get some information on if you don't mind."

Kabuto smirked, "No problem. You know who they are?"

Sasuke nodded, "Rock Lee and Gaara. I know Rock Lee is strong, and we ran into that Gaara guy earlier in the week. I'm curious about him."

"You already know their names? That almost makes it too easy." Kabuto joked as he laid out two cards and focused his chakra into the first one. Immediately, an image popped up of a young boy with a dark bowl cut, thick eyebrows, and a green jumpsuit. The name at the top of the card read ' _Rock Lee'_ and showed a chart relating to his skills, then at the bottom was a list of the missions he had gone on.

"Let's see," Kabuto began, "Rock Lee, his sensei is Might Guy, a taijutsu master. Rock Lee himself has excellent taijutsu skills, but has almost nonexistent ability in either ninjutsu or genjutsu. He got a lot of attention last year along with his teammate, Neji Hyuga, but their team elected not to participate in the last exams for some reason."

As each of the genin absorbed the new information, Hinata noticeably frowned at the mention of her cousin's name. It's not that she held anything against him, not at all. However, she knew that he did hold a lot against her, and if she wanted to prove herself in these exams she knew she would have to do just as well as Neji, if not better. He was her competition.

Kabuto moved on to the next card, focusing his chakra into it. Next, an image popped up of a young boy with pale skin and fiery red hair. He had no eyebrows and dark rims around his light green eyes. He also strangely had a red tattoo on the left side of his forehead, it looked like the kanji for ' _love_ '. He looked dark, angry, and evil. He also carried an unusually large gord on his back.

"Here we go. Gaara of the Sand. He's the Kazekage's son. A top rated genin from Sunagakure. His teammates are his siblings, Kankuro and Temari, powerful in their own right. His sensei's name is Baki, an elite Jonin of Suna. Get this, he's already completed an A rank mission as a genin!"

All the rookies gasped in surprise, even Sasuke.

Kabuto continued, "And that's not all, according to my intel, he completed all of his missions without ever getting a single scratch on him."

Hinata's eyes widened, suddenly feeling her heart pounding a bit harder. Her nerves were increasing by the second. Was this the kind of competition she was facing? She took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself.

Sakura was the first to speak up in the whirlwind of shock, "He… He never got a single scratch? How is that even possible?"

Kabuto shrugged, "I'm not sure. But he's definitely one to watch out for. As are the Oto ninja. Since Otogakure is a new village, not much is known about it. The ninja from there are mysterious."

Suddenly, without warning, one of the Oto ninja flew towards Kabuto. Said ninja had bandages covering most of his face, his left eye being the exception. He wore mostly gray, a large poncho with long sleeves, a snake pattern scarf around his neck, a straw raincoat protruding from his scarf, and a strange metal device on his right arm. He looked prepared to attack Kabuto.

The Oto genin swung at Kabuto, but he ducked out of the way just in time, smirking. It appeared that Kabuto had dodged the attack effectively. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he fell to his knees, clutching his face as his glasses cracked. The Konoha rookies gasped as Hinata and Sakura ran over to Kabuto.

"Kabuto-san, are you alright?" Hinata asked him.

Kabuto shakily rose to one knee, attempting to regain his composure, "Yes… I'm fine."

The Oto genin grabbed the metal device on his arm, as if showing it off, "You wanna know about the Oto genin? You'll know soon enough not to mess with us."

Kabuto was about to retort when the door burst open, showing a rather large man. His face looked hard and stern, with a scar over his eye. He also wore a black trench coat and a bandana over his bald head bearing the Konoha symbol.

"Alright you worthless maggots! Pay attention! From now on there will be no fighting other participants without permission from the proctor! Understood?!" He shouted, staring down the Oto genin.

The genin who was standing over Kabuto promptly backed off, relief flowing through the rookies. The longer she was here, the more intimidated she became.

"Hey." Whispered Sakura.

Hinata shifted her gaze to her friend, "Y-yeah?"

"I know you're getting nervous, but just remember why we're here. We need this more than they do, so we'll kick ass! No doubt!" She said with a confident smile.

Hinata laughed, and thanked her. She was right. Hinata couldn't allow her determination to waver. She would do this.

"Alright everyone, my name is Ibiki Morino. I'll be your instructor for the first section of the Chunin exams. You have been assigned seats randomly. The proctors here will show you to your assigned seats. Now get to it!" The large man, known as Ibiki, shouted.

Hinata waited and eventually she was assigned a seat in the front of the room. How she wished Naruto was here. Maybe they would have been sat next to each other. Maybe they could have helped each other. But, she would have to do this alone. She glanced around and noticed that her teammates were not close to her, but she was sure that wherever they were, they would be fine. She was sure Sakura and Sasuke would be alright as well.

As the classroom fell silent, Ibiki cleared his throat

"Alright! Round one will be a written exam."

* * *

While the Chunin exams were underway, Kakashi decided to take advantage of the spare time by chatting with the Hokage regarding their current situation.

The past few months had been nothing short of maddening for the copy ninja. Losing Naruto had been bad enough, but when Jiraiya returned empty-handed refusing to give away his location, he was furious. He understood Jiraiya's reasoning because of his knowledge of the Akatsuki, but that didn't mean he agreed with it.

He felt like such a failure, like he had let down his sensei and his only living legacy. Naruto was out there somewhere, and it was only a matter of time before the Akatsuki found out where he was. He was on edge all the time, waiting to hear some news about him.

Hiruzen strolled along with Kakashi, inhaling a bit from his pipe, "So, Kakashi, what do you wish to speak about?"

"I think you know Sir. I'm wondering if you've heard anything about Naruto." He admitted.

Hiruzen exhaled, blowing out smoke, "Ah, yes. As a matter of fact, I have. It seems Jiraiya has a few leads on our old friend Orochimaru. If necessary, he and our young blonde friend may be returning to watch over the Chunin exams."

Kakashi stopped dead in his tracks, "Are- are you sure?!"

"It's only a possibility, nothing is set in stone. However, depending on Orochimaru's movements, we may see him again soon."

Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief, his heart feeling a bit lighter, "I see. That's good."

Hiruzen stopped and turned towards Kakashi, a serious expression coating his features, "Kakashi. If we do see him again, it does not mean we will get a chance to speak with him, or that he will stay. I doubt Naruto has changed his mind about returning for good, and Jiraiya seems to think he is safer where he is currently. If Naruto wishes to leave again, I will not stop him."

Kakashi shifted his gaze to the ground, "I understand."

"Also, I worry about Naruto's mental state. He's been truly alone for a long while, even with Jiraiya's training. I hope he hasn't let himself become cold. But, it's possible. It's something that concerns me."

Kakashi thought on the Hokage's words. He had considered that, knowing how hurt, loss, and loneliness can turn someone's heart cold. That had been the case for him when he lost his friends and his sensei. Naruto's pain in his young life was probably unbearable at times.

"I just hope that wherever he is, he hasn't lost hope that people out there still care for him." Kakashi stated.

Hiruzen smiled, his mind drifting toward three genin in particular.

"If he doesn't know, I'm sure he will soon enough."

* * *

Today was an exciting day. Hopefully a turning point in his own private investigation. Soon, perhaps, he would have his way, finally.

Danzo looked at his current files he had on Naruto Uzumaki. The files on the left were facts he already knew: His date of birth, his parents, his status as a jinchuriki, etc. The files on the left were things he had learned from Sai. Initially, he had been gathering quite a bit of intel from Naruto's teammates. However, he hadn't failed to notice how things slowed down substantially after Team 7 took their mission to the Land of Waves.

However, today Sai was participating in the Chunin exams. He didn't care whether Sai made chunin, that was of little interest to him. He was interested in Sai being able to press Naruto's classmates without their sensei's being around. This was an opportune time.

He hoped more than anything for a break in the case of Naruto Uzumaki. He had his subordinates looking everywhere, yet no one had seen a sign of him. That bastard Jiraiya knew of his whereabouts, but refused to disclose any information on him. And quite frankly, Danzo wouldn't be able to get someone to beat the answers out of him, or intimidate him. Jiraiya was too strong and too smart as well, even if he did behave like a buffoon.

As soon as Danzo found out where he was, he would drag Naruto back to the village himself and immediately use Kotoamatsukami on him. It was a mistake on his part not to do it the first time. With Naruto under his influence, he would be able to use the power of the fox as he saw fit.

Finally, he would force the great nations to respect Konoha, as well as the name Danzo Shimura.

It was only a matter of time.

Soon enough that pushover Hiruzen would be out of commission, and he would come into power himself.

"Sai, you had better not let me down."

Little did he know someone with nearly unmatched stealth skills heard every word he had muttered.

* * *

"Alright! Time's up! It's time for the final question!" Shouted Ibiki.

Hinata was feeling pretty confident. So far, the exam had been fairly simple. Well, not the written part itself, but the actual premise of the exam.

She had been able to answer most of the questions herself, thanks to the advanced teaching she received from the Hyuga along with the academy, but it became clear that the real focus of the exam was to cheat without being caught.

If you were caught five times, you and your teammates would be disqualified.

For her, it was simple. There were only a few answers she didn't know. So, she used her Byakugan. Problem solved. She was sure Neji did the same. Sasuke probably used his Sharingan to copy someone's hand movements. She was certain Sakura probably just used her own knowledge, being the smartest kunoichi in the class.

She wasn't concerned about her teammates either. Kiba probably used Akamaru to cheat, Shino undoubtedly used his bugs. After her teammates hadn't been caught, she knew was right.

Now it was time for the final question.

"Now, here's the deal. The final question is completely optional. If you choose not to answer the question, you fail and you can try again next time. However…"

Hinata braced herself, knowing there was about to be a catch.

"If you choose to answer the question and get it wrong, you and your teammates will never be able to become chunin!"

Hinata's heart stopped.

Never be able to become chunin?! That can't happen! She had to do it, she had to prove herself. She couldn't risk getting it wrong, could she?

But she couldn't quit either! She had been bound and determined to prove herself. Neji certainly wouldn't give up.

What would Naruto do?

Hinata couldn't help the smile that came to her face. She knew Naruto would never back down. He would probably stand up and shout that he would definitely pass the exam, no matter what. Yeah, she would do it.

"Never become Chunin?! No way! That's no fair!" Came the irritated voice of Kiba.

"That's insane!" Came another voice.

"Sometimes in the ninja world, you're faced with difficult choices. Chunin lead missions and are faced with life and death decisions that must be made quickly. If you want to be a chunin, you need to learn to make the best choice for your team." Stated Ibiki.

One by one, people began to filter out, leaving fewer and fewer people in the room.

Suddenly, an urge came over Hinata. It was almost as if she was channeling her inner Naruto Uzumaki. She just knew in her heart that if Naruto were here, this is what he would do. So, without hesitation, she stood from her chair and slammed her palm on the table, gathering shocked expressions from across the room.

"You can try to scare me all you want, there's no way I'm giving up, even if I have to remain a genin for the rest of my life! I can't turn back now!" Hinata shouted, her fellow classmates completely dumbfounded by her outburst. Was this really the same shy girl they knew at the academy?

Yes, it was still her, but she was becoming stronger. She was on a mission.

And she had an inner strength, thanks to Naruto.

Ibiki was amused by the girl, and smirked at her, "Are you sure? You can still back out now."

Hinata shook her head, a confident smile on her face, "No way, I never go back on my word. That's my ninja way!"

After Hinata's speech, all of the genin remained in their seats, refusing to get up. It had become clear that her words had given everyone a bit of encouragement to stay.

Ibiki grinned.

"Alright, everyone of you who stayed for the final question… you pass!"

The entire room was filled with incredulous facial expressions.

Sakura shot up, "What are you talking about?!"

"I mean, the final question was a question of your determination as a team. Those of you who stuck together and decided to endure, are worthy of being chunin. Therefore, you pass!"

Hinata giggled and turned towards her teammates, flashing them a huge grin. They had passed!

But there wasn't much time to celebrate.

Suddenly, a window to the right shattered open and a blur of purple flew into the room. The genin followed the blur to a woman with a high purple ponytail. She also wore a long tan trench coat, a tight mesh bodysuit, an orange mini skirt, and pale gray shin guards. Behind her, thrown up and held up by kunai, was a banner with the name ' _Anko Mitarashi'_ on it.

"Heads up, you maggots! This is no time for celebrations! I'll be your next proctor, Anko Mitarashi!" She shouted to the room.

Hinata gulped. This woman was loud, abrasive, and aggressive. She could only imagine what the next phase of the exams would be.

Ibiki face palmed, "Anko, you're early… again."

Anko nervously rubbed her head, "He he, whoops." She then scanned the room, looking a bit skeptical, "Ibiki, there are still this many remaining? You're being too soft!"

"Or maybe there's just a good crop of candidates this year." He countered.

Anko smirked, "Don't worry, after I'm through with em, half of the genin in this room will be eliminated."

' _HALF?!'_ All of the genin thought simultaneously.

"Alright, listen up maggots!" Anko started again, "Meet up right after this at the forty fourth training ground for the second part of the exam! Dismissed!"

Hinata took a couple of minutes to speak with Team 7 before rejoining her teammates. They chatted about what they thought the next part would entail, but none of them knew. Kiba was as pumped as ever, and although Shino showed little emotion, Hinata could tell he was excited as well.

The genin each made their way down to the forty fourth training ground, meeting in front of the main gate. Hinata took this time to scope out the competition, her eyes meeting with Neji's for a moment before turning away.

She also had finally gotten a good look at the boy Kabuto had talked about, Gaara. So, this is the boy who has never gotten a scratch on him? He looked deadly, no doubt. But for some reason, Hinata couldn't shake the feeling that there was something familiar about him. She just wasn't sure what.

As they were waiting for the next phase to begin, Hinata felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Oh, Sai-kun. Hello!"

Sai smiled at her, a fake smile no doubt but it was at least improving.

"Hello, Hinata. I just wanted to say how impressed I was with your speech early in the written exams."

Hinata blushed a bit, "Really?"

He nodded, "Yes. Initially, I thought you were… what is it again? Oh, yes, a psycho."

Hinata was taken back, and her entire face burned crimson. Did she really come off that bad?! Yikes!

"However, I see now that not only did your speech have quite a bit of feeling behind it, but it encouraged others to stay when they had thought about leaving. It was quite effective." He said, sounding genuine.

Hinata giggled a bit. Even though Sai was strange, Hinata liked him. His odd personality was likeable in her opinion.

"Hinata."

Hinata's head snapped back up to him, noting the change in tone.

"I… I was wondering if you could tell me something."

"Um s-sure."

Sai looked conflicted, but continued, "Well, I know that along with Sasuke and Sakura, you are determined to bring back to safety the one called Naruto Uzumaki."

Hinata noticeably stiffened at his words, but attempted to stay calm, and let him continue.

"It's just… I wonder, all this training that you push yourself through, why are you so concerned with bringing him back?"

Hinata's face flushed a bit. She was about to admit something huge to someone who was basically a stranger, but something told her it would be okay to tell Sai.

"Well… Sai-kun, it's because I love him." She admitted.

Sai's eyes widened, actually showing a twinge of emotion, "Love?"

She nodded, "Yes. I love Naruto. Sasuke and Sakura do too, but in a friendly way. I love Naruto in a romantic sense. But either way, we push ourselves because we want nothing more than for Naruto be back safe with us. We know he is suffering alone, and he doesn't have to. I know I've gotten a lot stronger recently, and in a way it's all because of him. It's because I want so desperately to bring him back."

Sai stood frozen for a moment, contemplating her words. They matched up completely with what Haku had told him. Hinata, Sasuke, and Sakura want to protect Naruto, and because of that motivation, they had pushed themselves to become stronger.

Could emotions and feelings be the real catalyst for being a strong ninja after all? A stronger person in general? Did he have it all wrong? Was Lord Danzo mistaken? Maybe…

Maybe if he helped them find Naruto, and witnessed their bond, then he would be able to remember.

He had to try.

"Hinata I-"

"Alright! Listen up! It's time for the second stage!" Anko interrupted from across the field.

Hinata smiled softly at Sai, "Sorry Sai-kun, I need to go find my teammates. I'll see you later!" She said walking away.

"Yes. Later." He responded quietly.

* * *

Naruto laid on his bed as he carefully inspected the masterful piece of weaponry in his hands. It clearly belonged to a shinobi from Uzu a long time ago, and was crafted incredibly carefully. He couldn't get over the artistic creation that was the handle, or how matted red the blade was. Even though it had color it was still as if it sucked all light from around it.

He wondered if he could learn to use it. He didn't think Pervy Sage had any experience with swords, and he didn't really know anyone that would be able to help him learn all the way out here. He just supposed that he would need to teach himself.

He was interrupted from his thoughts by a loud banging at the door.

"Gee, wonder who that could be." Naruto remarked sarcastically.

He trudged out of his bedroom, across the living room and to the front door. The sight that greeted him was none other than his part time roommate and sensei.

"Hey kiddo."

"Hey Pervy Sage. What's up?"

Jiraiya fumed, "Hey! How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?!"

Naruto smirked, "Not sure. Guess we'll have to find out."

"Fine, fine," Jiraiya sighed, "I see you got my messages."

"Yeah. So… are we going?"

Jiraiya nodded, "Yes, but not right away. I'm led to believe that he won't make his move until the final round, which is always held a month after the first two rounds. We'll show up a week before then, staying hidden. We'll be there to keep watch over Orochimaru and defend Konoha if necessary."

Naruto nodded, "I see."

"Don't worry kid. I know you have concerns, but you won't have to make a public appearance unless it's absolutely needed. Until then, we've got to get you as strong as possible."

Naruto perked up at that, "You have something in mind?"

Jiraiya grinned widely, "You bet! First thing we're gonna do is work on that mediocre taijutsu of yours."

"Hey!"

"Then, I'm gonna teach you how to make the rasengan even stronger!"

Naruto's face lit up like the sun, "Really? Make it stronger?!"

Jiraiya chuckled. He knew that although Naruto was having a difficult time mentally and emotionally, deep down he was still the same. Eager to learn new jutsu like Minato, and fiery just like Kushina.

"Yep! Now, come on! Get outside. Time to train!"

Naruto grinned for the first time in a while, and ran after Jiraiya, ready to take on the new challenge.

Whatever he had to do, he would protect Hinata, and Konoha as well.

* * *

' _How did we end up like this?! How can this be happening?!'_

Those were the thoughts of Hinata Hyuga at the current predicament she and her classmates were facing.

As soon as they had been told the second stage of the exam was a survival test, Hinata immediately insisted on allying Team 8 with Team 7. Kiba didn't think it was necessary, wanting to show that they didn't need any help, however Hinata insisted, as did Sakura. Soon enough, all members agreed and they had set off.

Each team needed to gather both a heaven and earth scroll and make it to the tower in the center of the Forest of Death. Both Team 7 and Team 8 started out with an earth scroll, so they agreed that they would each help the other procure a heaven scroll.

They had initially been pounced on by some Kiri ninja, but Sasuke and Kiba easily dispatched them.

They had been walking along, keeping an eye on things when suddenly they were confronted by a Kusa ninja.

They had recognized her from earlier. She had long black hair, and she wore a straw hat on her head that was now discarded. She wore plain tan garbs, with a black polo and pants underneath. She also adorned a thick purple rope belt around her waist, as well as bandages around her calves and shinobi sandals. Her eyes looked dark and evil and her tongue reminded them all of a snake.

Which was ironic, considering she was riding around on a giant snake!

Nobody really understood why she was so determined to kill both the teams, but she was. Sasuke had even gone as far as to go give up the scroll, but Hinata and Kiba both snapped him out of it with some tough love.

However, the battle raged on, and now Sai, Shino, and Kiba were all knocked out. Only Hinata, Sakura, And Sasuke were left standing. And none of them were in good shape.

The Grass ninja began laughing.

"What is it?!" Sasuke demanded.

She brushed her hair off the side, acting smug, "I just can't seem to believe my luck. I've found both a strong Hyuga and a strong Uchiha in my midsts. If only I had more time, I could steal both your powers away. But I have a plan, and I'm afraid I simply don't have the time for that."

Hinata's heart stopped, the killing intent coming from the Kusa ninja making it hard to breathe, "W-what do you mean?!"

"I think it's time I stopped playing with you. After all, there's no way three genin can keep up with one of the legendary Sannin."

All three genin's eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

"Legendary Sannin?! B-but that would make you… no way!" Sakura screamed out in terror. Being top of the class, she knew who the legendary Sannin were. If this ninja was speaking that truth, then that meant that she was none other than…

The Kusa ninja chuckled, "Ah, you understand now, do you? Yes, it's true. I am Orochimaru. Which means this fight was over before it began."

Hinata began to panic. What was he doing here?! How was he assuming the identity of someone else?! What was going on?!

"Just why the hell are you here?!" Sasuke shouted angrily.

"Why Sasuke, for you of course."

All three froze.

"Huh?!" Said all three in unison.

Out of nowhere, Orochimaru slung an arm of snakes at Sasuke, the speed unparalleled. The force of the snakes slammed him into a tree, immobilizing him.

"SASUKE-KUN!" Screamed Sakura in terror.

Then, the most disgusting thing happened. As if a snake himself, Orochimaru's neck elongated and snapped towards Sasuke, sinking his fangs into his neck.

"No!" Shouted Hinata.

Orochimaru let go quickly, his neck returning to normal. He let Sasuke go, but he merely fell to the ground, screaming in agony. Sakura immediately rushed to him, tears gathering in her eyes.

Hinata, filled with fury and anger, jumped in front of Sasuke and Sakura, "What did you do to him?! Tell me!"

He simply smirked, "Sasuke will now seek me out for more power. Soon enough, he will come to me."

Hinata's eyes narrowed, "No way! He would never! You're nothing but a snake!"

He chuckled, "How right you are Hyuga. Perhaps one day, I'll come after your kekkai genkai next."

Hinata shivered.

"Now, I've gotten what I came here for. I'll be going."

And just like that, he was gone.

Hinata immediately turned to Sasuke and Sakura, seeing Sasuke writhing around in pain.

Sakura was freaking out, tears streaming down her face at the sight of Sasuke in agony, "Hinata-chan, I'm scared! What's happening to him?!"

"I don't know Sakura-chan. But here, let me help him sleep so he won't feel anymore pain." Hinata quickly poked Sasuke's neck with two fingers, injecting a small amount of chakra, knocking him out.

"Thank you."

Hinata frowned, turning to see their other teammates on the ground unconscious.

"Don't thank me yet. We need to get these guys out of harm's way. We're sitting ducks out here."

Sakura looked around worriedly, "Yeah, and we're not doing so hot either. Look!" She pointed to the right, and Hinata followed her gaze, "There's a cave over there. Let's get the boys inside so they can rest, and we can rig the entire area with traps."

Hinata nodded, "Right. And I'll keep watch first so you can rest, and then we'll switch. Hopefully they won't be out too long."

Hinata went over to drag Kiba to the cave, Sakura doing the same with Sasuke before they went back for Sai and Shino. When all the boys were in the cave resting, Sakura had joined Hinata in surrounding the entire area with traps. After they were satisfied, Sakura decided to take a rest, leaving Hinata to stand guard outside.

She sighed, finally feeling a small twinge of relief, but not much. She had noticed that there was a mark on Sasuke's neck where he had been bitten.

She didn't know what it was, but she feared for her friend. She couldn't help but remember Orochimaru's words.

" _Sasuke will now seek me out for more power. Soon enough, he will come to me."_

Those words echoed in her mind, and she couldn't relax because of it. Could it be true? Would that mark influence Sasuke? She was afraid.

Not only that, but if they were attacked right now, they were extremely vulnerable. None of them were in good shape, and all the boys were out cold.

Hinata clasped her hands together, and looked towards the sky, as if seeking something.

' _Naruto…'_

* * *

"Huh?! What the-OUCH!"

Naruto flew backwards, launching into a tree from the impact of Jiraiya's foot in his chest.

Jiraiya frowned, "What's up kid? You were doing a lot better, then out of nowhere you freeze up."

Naruto rubbed his chest as he sat up, attempting to catch his breath, "Sorry, I- I'm not sure but… I could have sworn that someone said my name just now."

Jiraiya looked at him incredulously, "That's the excuse you're gonna use?"

"It's true! I know it sounds crazy but I'm not making it up!" He argued.

Jiraiya shrugged, "Whatever kid. Either way, we've gotta continue. I'm not teaching you to strengthen your Rasengan until you improve your taijutsu significantly, and that's that. Now get back up, we're not done yet."

When Naruto arose, something sparked in his mind that had been bugging him. He decided to go ahead and bring it up.

"Pervy Sage?"

"Yeah?"

"I came across this sword the other day, and I kinda want to show it to you." He explained.

"A sword?"

He nodded, "Yeah, it looks really unique. The blade is a weird red color."

Jiraiya's eyes widened, "Red?! Are you sure?!"

"Yeah."

Jiraiya grabbed Naruto's arm, "Naruto, show me where that sword is, right away!"

Taken aback by Jiraiya's change in attitude, Naruto simply nodded and lead Jiraiya to the sword that now laid on his bed.

Gleaming in the sunlight shining through the window, the red sword looked magnificent laid upon the bed. The handle sparkled and the ruby over top of the Uzumaki swirl looked magical. Yet, the blade itself reflected no light. As usual, it was void of any shine or sparkle.

Jiraiya stood before the weapon, completely in awe.

"Naruto… where did you find this?"

Naruto shrugged, "It was in the hot springs. My foot touched it so I picked it up. Looks cool, huh?"

Jiraiya turned towards him, eyes bulging out of his head, "Cool? Cool?! Do you have any idea what you've found?!"

"Uhh…. no."

"Naruto, that blade is legendary! It's the Akai Uzu blade!"

Naruto scratched his head, "The what?"

"The Akai Uzu! It's a legendary sword, not seen for nearly a hundred and fifty years! It belonged to the head of the Uzumaki clan, ages ago. The blade is made out of the most powerful chakra conducting material in existence. No other weapon out there can match it, except for maybe the fan of the late Madara Uchiha." He explained.

Naruto was shocked. He had found something so incredible just sitting in a hot spring?

"Pervy Sage, if it's so awesome, why was it hidden away?" Naruto asked.

"Because, people coveted the sword so much that they began to attempt to kill over it. People went crazy with envy, knowing the power the sword could give the wielder. However, only someone with powerful chakra can use it. The clan head hid it away to avoid any more conflict, and said the sword would remain hidden until fate decided it was needed once again. Your mother was actually the one who told this to me."

Naruto walked slowly over to the blade, taking it into his shaking hands. He had truly come across a treasure, something to be handled with great care. He needed to learn to use it.

"Pervy Sage, can you teach me to use it?"

Jiraiya shook his head, "I'm sorry Naruto, no. While it's true you are someone with powerful enough chakra to wield it, I know nothing about kenjutsu. You'll have to teach yourself I'm afraid."

Naruto eyed the blade again, completely breath taken by its beauty and power. He smiled, a new goal formed in his mind.

"Then, I'll do it. I'll teach myself. I'll pick up where my ancestor left off, and I'll become a master." He said with utmost confidence.

Jiraiya grinned, "Alright kid, go for it! But do it on your own time! We're not done with your taijutsu yet!"

Naruto swiveled towards the door, grinning from ear to ear truly for the first time in a long while, "Yes Sir!"

* * *

Hinata was exhausted. She was willing herself to stay awake at this point. She only had one more hour before she and Sakura switched places.

Her eyes were red, her face covered in cuts, dirt, and sweat. Her hair was disheveled, and her purple top was ripped in a few spots. She felt like an absolute wreck, but she refused to give in.

She had to prove herself. No way in hell was she going to go out in the second round and let Naruto down. No doubt Neji would make it past the second round, and that meant she and her team had to as well.

She was alert, taking note of the position of each trap that she and Sakura had laid. She snapped her head towards the left when she heard a rustling sound behind a bush.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

' _Damn it!'_

* * *

 _ **Author's Note!**_

 **Do you guys like how Hinata is channeling her inner Naruto? Lol**

 **That's the end of chapter 9! Once again, thanks so much for being patient. Along with personal issues keeping me from writing, I definitely had some writer's block with this chapter, but I'm over the hump finally!**

 **Expect updating to continue like usual, and check out the poll on my profile!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Welcome back everyone! Hope you guys are having a lovely day. Had some difficulties writing this chapter as well, but I'm happy with how I turned out. Hope you guys like it!**

 **Don't forget to check out the poll on my profile about this story! I'll leave it up for a few more weeks!**

 **Just a warning, this chapter is really long. I proofread it like a hundred times just to be sure I didn't screw up grammar, but I'm positive I still messed up somewhere. If you notice something, feel free to point it out! (Shoutout to gio08, who's been pointing out that stuff to me each chapter. It's greatly appreciated!)**

 **On to chapter 10!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. Naruto is owned by M. Kishimoto.**

* * *

"Come on kid, push harder, you can do it!"

Naruto was trying, he really was, but the pain in his hand was unbearable at this point. Just when he thought he'd had the hang of it, the Rasengan would explode in his hand, knocking him backwards.

Just like this time.

"Ack! Ouch!" He shouted as he landed hard on the ground, holding his hand in an attempt to dull the pain.

Jiraiya shook his head, "Come on kid. You've almost got it. You're right on the cusp, you just gotta push through."

"I know!" He shouted, rubbing his hand and standing up, "It's just burning my hand so much. I tried focusing my chakra like you showed me when I first learned the Rasengan, but it's harder this time."

"Well of course it is. The jutsu is more powerful than the regular Rasengan, therefore harder to learn. You just gotta keep trying. But for now, let's take a break so your hand can rest a bit. Let's grab a bite to eat." Jiraiya suggested.

Naruto nodded, and they headed back to the house.

Naruto and Jiraiya had both worked to fix the house up in the past few months. They had fixed some of the broken furniture and used some loose wood lying around to add to the house, adding some support. Now it was at least liveable, and Naruto had envisioned fixing it up more at some point.

They each took a seat at the table, eating some beans from a can.

"Well Naruto, you're making quite a bit of progress. Soon enough, you'll be able to get the new jutsu down. And your taijutsu is coming along nicely. At some point you should think about figuring out that sword."

Naruto agreed, but he wasn't sure where to start, "Pervy Sage, what all do you know about the sword? It's abilities, I mean."

Jiraiya scratched his chin, "Well, all I know is that the blade conducts chakra. It's the most powerful chakra conducting weapon there is. That's why someone like you, with powerful chakra, could utilize it well. You just need to learn to wield it. Just coming into minor contact with the chakra infused blade could sever someone's limb completely off."

"I see." He replied. He wasn't sure how to start. He knew next to nothing about kenjutsu, and apparently neither did Jiraiya. He sighed, figuring that maybe he should start working with the sword after he figured out this new jutsu Jiraiya was trying to teach him.

"Hey perk up kid. There's no deadline for it. Besides, we've still got this jutsu to work on, and I know you'll get it." Jiraiya said with a grin.

"Pervy Sage, can you tell me about the Chunin exams?" Naruto asked, changing the subject.

Jiraiya looked at him with a confused expression, "Why are you so curious all of a sudden?"

"Well, I just can't help but wonder if my team is participating. If they are, I'm curious as to what they're facing." He explained.

"Ah I see. Well, don't worry Naruto. The Chunin exams are set up into three different stages, and in each stage more and more genin are eliminated. Usually by the third round, there aren't many left. What they do in the first and second round changes year to year, but the third round is always a one-on-one combat tournament." He replied.

"Tournament?"

Jiraiya nodded, "Yep. There is of course only one winner, but who makes chunin is decided by various judges from different lands, including the Hokage. Everyone in the tournament could make it, or none could. It just depends on how they perform."

"Are the exams… dangerous?" Naruto questioned him.

"Well, kid I'd be lying if I said no, but don't worry. It's rare for someone to actually die in the exams. Injuries sure, but hardly ever death. I'd say if those teammates of yours are participating, they're just fine." Jiraiya assured him.

Naruto looked down at his feet, uneasiness settling over him, "I hope you're right."

Jiraiya hopped up from the table, having finished his food, "Alright! Enough talk! Back to training!"

Naruto stood up, and followed him out the door. He was focused on training, but in the back of his mind he couldn't help but feel that something was wrong.

' _Hinata'_

* * *

"Let me go!"

Hinata had been pinned down by one of their opponents, unable to move.

Rock Lee had shown up earlier, helping to defend her and Sakura, but he was now out of commission as well. It seemed hopeless.

When the Oto ninja, now known as Dosu, Zaku, and Kin had shown up, they immediately figured out the girls had laid traps. They ripped through them without any issue.

At that point Sakura was awake, but none of the boys were yet. Hinata was exhausted and sleep deprived, in no shape to fight. And Sakura couldn't handle them alone.

Lee had come to their rescue, and they were grateful. He had shown off a plethora of taijutsu skills that blew them away, but after all that, the jutsu of the Oto ninja had taken him down.

All three of them utilized sound waves, so even if someone were to dodge their fists, the sound waves would strike them and damage their eardrums.

When Lee had gone down, Hinata leapt in, but in her current state she went down quickly. She laid pinned on the ground by the foot of Dosu, unable to move. She cursed her own weakness, even though she had been significantly weakened before the fight.

Then it was Sakura's turn, but she hasn't fared much better. The girl with long black hair named Kin grabbed her by the hair, while the others could only watch.

Hinata screamed, trying to snap her friend out of it.

Then, Sakura pulled out a Kunai and sliced off her hair, letting it fall to the ground. It was a turning point for Sakura. She refused to sit in on the sidelines any longer. If she wanted to bring back Naruto and become strong, she had to stand firm.

Sakura had put up a tough fight against the one called Zaku, who had black spiky hair, a yellow shirt, and small circular devices on his hands that made use of sound waves.

She had knocked him into the ground, but he was still beating her, it looked hopeless.

Then, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji showed up just in time. The three of them used their Ino-Shika-Cho style to hold off the Oto ninja.

Choji fought back Zaku with his human boulder jutsu, Shikamaru caught Dosu in his shadow possession jutsu, rendering him completely immobile. Then, Ino trapped Kin in her Mind Transfer jutsu. Ino had threatened to harm Kin once she took over her body, but her teammates weren't buying into it. They were willing to harm their own teammate to get to Sasuke, who they were apparently after.

Shikamaru's Shadow Possession wore off, and now things were looking bleak.

"Damn, what a drag!" Complained Shikamaru.

"Just face it! You're just third rate ninjas from a third rate village!" Claimed Dosu.

"Then I guess that makes you fourth rate!" Came a voice from above. Hinata's heart stopped. She knew that voice, "I wonder if you amateurs are ready to take on the real thing."

Hinata's eyes widened, "Neji…"

"It's Lee's team!" Shouted Sakura.

Next to Neji in a tree was his female teammate. Hinata knew her as TenTen, the weapon's master. She wore a pink sleeveless top, blue pants, and wore her brunette hair in two buns on her head. On her forehead was a leaf headband.

Neji continued, "It looks like someone decided to use our team as punching bag…," Neji's face shifted up, and he activated his Byakugan, veins bulging from his face, "No one does that and gets away with it!" He proclaimed angrily.

Then, there was a chill in the air. Making everyone shiver. Something was off.

Suddenly, Neji deactivated his Byakugan, "Well, it seems it's been taken out of my hands."

Everyone turned to face the source of the chilling feeling.

It was Sasuke.

Sakura looked on at him in fear. This was Sasuke? What had happened to him? He appeared menacing. The mark on his neck had now spread all over his body, looking like black flames licking his skin. His Sharingan was activated, making eyes appear even more evil. And a swirling, dark, purple chakra was emanating from him.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura breathed, stunned.

"Sakura, who did this to you?" Sasuke asked in a no nonsense tone.

"Sasuke-"

"Answer me Sakura." He asked firmly, cutting her off, "Don't worry. It's just the power _he_ gave me. He made me see what I am. I'm an avenger! I have to gain power at all costs!" He said.

Hinata's blood ran cold. It was all too similar to what Orochimaru had claimed. She didn't like this.

"Tell me Sakura! Who did this?!"

Zaku stepped forward, "That would be me."

Sasuke started flaring the dark chakra, and for some reason Zaku wasn't phased, "Don't worry Dosu, I'll take care of em all!"

"NO, ZAKU!"

"Super sonic slicing wave!" Screamed Zaku.

A blast of sound waves came rushing forth, blasting the area. Hinata gasped as the blast blew everything away, "Sakura-chan! Sasuke-kun!" She screamed.

When the dust cleared, there was nothing left.

"Is that the best you can do?" Came a familiar voice.

Everyone turned towards Sasuke in shock. He had managed to move everyone and himself out of the way in time! But how had he done it so quickly?

"My turn! Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" He shouted as fireballs shot from him towards Zaku. He dodged, but it was just a diversion. As soon as Zaku had jumped out of the way, Sasuke grabbed his arms from behind.

"WHAT THE?"

"These arms… you seem pretty… _attached_ to them." Sasuke said arrogantly, smirking the entire time. Then, he lodged his foot into Zaku's back and began pulling, eliciting a gut wrenching scream from him.

Sakura and Hinata both looked at him with fear and shock. This wasn't the Sasuke they knew. He was scary.

"Zaku!" Shouted Dosu, afraid to move.

Then, everyone heard a sickening snap.

Zaku's arms had been pulled from their sockets, and hung limply by his side. He passed out, lying immobile on the ground.

Sasuke set his sights on Dosu, "You're next."

Sakura watched in horror, her chest constricting and her body shaking. This wasn't Sasuke. This wasn't the boy she loved. She had to stop him!

Before she registered what she was doing, her body began to move, running to him, "Sasuke-kun! Stop!"

Then, Sasuke felt gentle arms encircling him, and he froze in his tracks.

"Please… stop." She pleaded with him, "That's enough. Don't do it! Please!"

Sasuke stood still for a moment, as if thinking over her words. He could feel wet droplets on his back. Sakura was crying… for him? The black marks on his skin began to recede, and his Sharingan deactivated. He had calmed down. It was over.

With both Kin and Zaku unconscious, and Sasuke as strong as he was, Dosu knew he didn't stand a chance. He moved to grab his teammates, and sat his scroll on the ground, "You're too strong for us Sasuke. We'll leave this scroll, if you'll let us go."

Sasuke, still disoriented, nodded, and watched as Dosu left with his two teammates.

The nightmare was over, at least for now.

* * *

Hiruzen sat anxiously at his desk, tapping his fingers impatiently against the wood. In a few short minutes he would receive some more news from Tenzo regarding the situation with Danzo. It has been difficult to get much intel in the past few months. Danzo had been very secretive, although he had given no indication that he suspected he was being followed. Perhaps he always assumed that he is. Either way, Hiruzen was desperately hoping for a new discovery, something that could possibly be incriminating.

Suddenly, the Hokage sensed a second presence nearby, "Come in, Tenzo."

In a swirl of wind and leaves, Tenzo appeared in front of him on one knee.

"So, anything important to report today?"

Tenzo rose from his knee, "Actually, there is a new development. I believe our hypothesis about Sai was correct after all."

HIruzen's eyes widened, and he grit his teeth. So, his theory was correct after all. He had suspected a while ago that Danzo was using Sai as a spy to infiltrate Team 7 and get information on Naruto. However, he opted not to remove Sai from the team for an important reason.

"So, we were correct. So, how much has he learned from Sai? Do you know?" He asked him.

"It appears that Danzo had gathered basic intel on Naruto before Sai ever came into the picture, but he has amassed a bit more since Sai joined the team. However, " Hiruzen perked up, "It appears that ever since Team 7 went on the mission to the Land of Waves, Sai's intel has slowed down significantly. It seems that he has not reported any new information in weeks, in fact."

Hiruzen grinned. His plan was working.

He had suspected Sai's involvement from the get go, sensing that Danzo perhaps had not disbanded ROOT. However, he sympathized with Sai, since he was just a child. The Hokage had hoped that spending time with Kakashi's team would have a strong positive influence on the boy, and it seemed that his hopes were not in vain.

"So, it would appear that Sai is beginning to become invested in Team 7's endeavors instead of just spying. Wouldn't you agree?" He asked Tenzo.

He nodded, "Yes, that's what I was thinking. Danzo appeared to be quite frustrated, before muttering something about how 'Sai had better not let him down.'"

Hiruzen smiled, and folded his fingers in front of his face, "Very good. This is helpful. Now, I just need to figure out what our next step is, but for now you are dismissed."

Tenzo nodded, "Thank you, Lord Third." He said before flashing away in the blink of an eye.

HIruzen was feeling positive now. It wasn't necessarily enough to put Danzo away, but it was a large step in the right direction. Now, he could advise Kakashi to press Sai some more about his background, maybe ask him some questions. Hopefully, Sai would turn to their side, and would ultimately become the tool to Danzo's downfall.

He decided he would call Kakashi into his office later, but first they would both have to get updated on the Chunin Exams. He wondered briefly if everything was running smoothly.

Although lately, he had a bad feeling. A feeling that something was very wrong.

"Lord Hokage!" Shouted a jonin running into his office. It sounded urgent.

"Yes! What is it?"

"There's something wrong? It's Anko, Sir. She needs to speak with you right away!"

' _I knew something was wrong…'_

* * *

Kakashi had decided this morning to meet up with Kurenai to discuss the status of their teams. He knew that Team 7 and 8 were close, particularly Hinata, Sakura, and Sasuke. All three of them shared a common goal because of Naruto, and so Kakashi had taken interest in Team 8's female member. He wanted to check in on her, and make sure she wasn't pushing herself too hard.

It was easy to see how Hinata felt for Naruto. She was distraught when he had left, and clearly something had happened between them more than what she had told. She began acting out at one point, and even attacked a villager. Though she had calmed down recently, Kakashi wanted to make sure she was alright. Since she wasn't on his team, it was more difficult to keep an eye on her than Sasuke and Sakura.

Kakashi walked into the cafe he was meeting Kurenai at, and saw her sitting in the corner sipping some tea. He walked over to her, smiling through his mask, and took a seat in front of her.

"Good afternoon Kakashi." She greeted him.

"Hi. You look lovely today Kurenai."

She shook her head, "Let's save the formalities, Kakashi. You want to know how my team is doing, right? Particularly a certain Hyūga?" She guessed.

His eyes widened for a moment before he calmed himself, "Very insightful, Kurenai. Yes, I admit, I want to know how she's doing."

Kurenai smiled, "She's been doing great actually, they all have. Initially, Hinata was grief stricken over Naruto's departure. She didn't say that was why, but once the news got out I knew that's what it was. However, she's used him as motivation, and thrown herself into training. She's gotten much stronger, and become an excellent asset to our team."

Kakashi nodded, "I'm glad to hear it. I know that she and Naruto were close. And, I suspect something more happened between them the night that he left. More than she has told us. I just wonder what the true nature of their relationship is. Or was, rather."

"I agree. It's clear she has feelings her him."

"I'd say that's putting it mildly. Because of that, I had worried about her. I took an interest in her because of her connection to Naruto. I believe that in the long run, she may have the best chance of getting him to see reason, and returning to the village." Kakashi explained.

Kurenai pondered his words for a moment, "I suppose that could be true. I don't know Naruto well, so I'll trust what you have to say on the matter. One thing's for sure though, in this time our teams have become quite a bit closer."

"Indeed they have. Especially Hinata, Sasuke, and Sakura. Sai has been a bit closed off, but he seems to be coming out of his shell a bit." Kakashi stated.

"Yes I had noticed. He seems a bit odd."

Kakashi chuckled, "Yes, that he is. At first, I was weary of him. I had never heard of this kid and all of a sudden he was on my team. However, since the Wave mission, he has obviously been making attempts to get closer to his teammates. Sasuke seems hesitant, however."

"Is that so?" Kurenai asked.

"Yes. Sasuke and Naruto seem to have an unspoken bond. I suppose that Sasuke just doesn't want Sai to think he's taking Naruto's place, although I doubt Sasuke would admit that out loud."

Kurenai giggled, "Yes, I see your point. Either way, it's quite amazing how much of an impact Naruto's departure has had on this town. Even some of those who shunned him have been made to see the error of their ways, and wish to make amends."

"Yes, although I wish all of them were like that. Some still are glad he's gone. But I suppose you can't change everyone's minds." Kakashi reasoned.

"Hey, Kakashi, Kurenai." Came a male voice from behind them. Kakashi turned to see none other than Genma standing in the cafe, waving them towards him.

"What is it?" Asked Kurenai.

"It's almost time for the second round of the exams to end. It's time for you guys to head to the tower." He explained.

Both jonin nodded, and followed Genma towards the exit.

* * *

After the intense fight in the forest, Team 7 and 8 had rested a bit to eat and get some water before heading off in search of a couple of heaven scrolls. They were all a bit shaken up from Orochimaru and then the Oto ninja, but they were still standing which was all that mattered.

A few minutes after the fight, Kiba, Shino and Sai had awoken. Hinata filled them all in, excluding the detail of Sasuke's mark. She didn't want to reveal that just yet.

Team 10 had taken the scroll, as it was an earth scroll, not useful to either team 7 or 8. Neji had nodded curtly to the other teams, taking Lee and leaving, not saying a word to Hinata. Everyone went their separate ways, except for teams 7 and 8 of course.

Sakura worried about that mark on Sasuke. The look in his eyes when he had attacked that Oto ninja… it was dark and evil, no doubt about it. Sasuke had looked as though he had actually enjoyed inflicting pain on the genin. It was an unsettling sight, and one that Sakura hoped that she would not have to see again.

Both teams had waited near the tower to ambush a couple of teams. Luckily, a team of Kiri ninja had tried to ambush them first, but it backfired. Shino used his bugs to detain them, while Hinata used her gentle fist to cut off their tenketsu and knock them out. They were carrying a heaven scroll, which Team 8 kept. However, true to their word, Team 8 stuck around to help Team 7 find a scroll as well.

Shino had an idea to set up a trap for the next team that came by. They rigged a net under some leaves and grass, and filled it with dangerous slugs that Shino had found in the forest. All they had to do was wait for a tired, unsuspecting group, and they would have their scroll.

It worked quickly. A group of ninja had stumbled across the trap and fell right into it, being burned by the slugs until they passed out. Not wanting to kill them, Kiba cut the trap down and let them fall to the ground unconscious. To their joy, Sakura, Sasuke, and Sai found a heaven scroll in one of their backpacks. They were set.

Now both teams were nearing the tower, and before they entered, they had to go into seperate doors. Before they walked in, they caught sight of someone familiar.

"Kabuto-san! You and your team made it?" Hinata called out to him.

He grinned and nodded, pushing up his glasses, "Yes. We did. And I see both of your teams did as well. I'm glad to hear it. But I must be heading in now. Good luck!" He said before jogging inside.

Sasuke was suspicious, "Hmph, he sure seemed to be in a hurry."

"Forget about him Sasuke-kun! We gotta get inside too. Let's go you two!" Sakura announced as she grabbed both Sasuke and Sai's hands and dragged them inside.

Hinata smiled, "Well you two, shall we?"

Shino nodded, and Kiba fist pumped, "Hell yeah! Let's go!"

Team 8 made their way into the tower, seeing something written on the wall. It was easy for Hinata to figure out that they needed to open their scrolls up now that they had made it inside. They laid out each scroll on the ground and opened them up. They each jumped back in anticipation whenever purple smoke started to pour from the scrolls.

"What's going on?!" Kiba shouted.

"Kiba calm down, " Shino replied, "Why? Because we will just have to wait and see before taking any sort of action."

As Shino finished talking, a form began to appear from the smoke. When the purple smoke cleared, they saw that it was none other than Kurenai.

"Kurenai-sensei? What are you doing here?" Hinata asked in surprise.

The red eyed woman smiled, "I'm here to tell you three that you've officially passed round two of the Chunin exams!"

"Wahoo!" Shouted Kiba, Akamaru barking happily on his head.

Hinata simply smiled back at her sensei, and Shino remained stoic as ever.

"You've proven that you're no longer just children. Your teamwork has been exceptional, and you deserve to be praised for that. However," All three froze at her comment, "The final test is almost here, and your teamwork won't help you now."

All three genin froze.

"The final round will focus on your individual abilities, and will test your personal assets. So, do your best, and make me proud team 8!"

"Yes Sensei!" All three shouted in unison.

All the teams were given some time to rest before the final round, nursing some wounds and sleeping some fatigue off.

Eventually, it was time to gather in the main arena area, where all the genin stood in order, facing the Hokage and the other jonin.

Before the Hokage started speaking, Sakura spoke to Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun," She whispered, "I think… I think we should tell someone."

Sasuke furrowed his brows, "No way."

"Please, I'm worried Sasuke-kun. That mark, it changes you, you're in pain. Please…" As she reached up to touch the mark, Sasuke grabbed her arm, alerting Hinata and Sai to the situation.

"Back off Sakura." He told her in a firm tone.

But Sakura wasn't backing down, "Sasuke-kun please! I can't just sit around and watch while that thing takes you over."

"Then don't watch."

Sakura took a step back at his statement, shocked and hurt.

"Look, these exams are everything to me. Not because I want to make chunin, that doesn't matter. Am I strong? Am I where I should be? Going up against the strongest will show me that. If I can't beat the best, I have no shot of bringing that loser home or taking on my brother." He stated.

Hinata was confused by his words, as was Sakura. His brother? The one who slaughtered the Uchiha Clan? He… he wants to fight him?

"Sasuke-kun...your brother?" Hinata questioned him.

Sasuke's eyes widened, realizing his mistake. He hadn't told anyone about his plans to face Itachi. He didn't want to make a big deal out of it. It was no one's business but his own.

"Forget it. Look, the main point is to bring that blonde dork back here, right? I can't do that if I don't become stronger. I can't do that from the sidelines so just but out!"

Sakura and Hinata both looked on with pained expressions, Sakura's eyes welling up with tears. Hinata felt for her best friend, knowing how strongly she felt for Sasuke. She knew it was tearing her apart to know something was wrong with him.

Sai simply seemed confused by the situation. What had he missed when he was unconscious? He figured he would need to ask Sakura about it later.

The Hokage interrupted their little conversation with a wave of his hand.

"First and foremost, I'd like to congratulate you all for making it this far. This year's crop of candidates are remarkable, so commend yourselves for doing this well."

After this statement Hinata glanced over to her cousin, who was facing her direction. No, making it this far wouldn't be enough. She wouldn't pat herself on the back yet.

As the Hokage went into his explanation of the exams and the other nations, Hinata allowed her mind to wonder a bit. How far had Neji come recently? How strong had he become? Would she even stand a chance against him? She had become incredibly stronger during the last few months, pushing herself to her limit every day in missions and training. Was it enough? Neji was a genius. She wasn't. That much was clear. He had a unique talent that she simply didn't. Just like Sasuke. She knew that if she were to beat him, it would take every ounce of strength she had to pull it off.

She turned her stare back to the Hokage, only half way listening. She was sure Neji wanted to beat her too, to prove to himself and everyone else that being from the side branch didn't matter. Ironic, considering how much he talks about it being impossible to escape destiny. He was a walking contradiction in her opinion.

Seeing her friend zoning out, Sakura tapped Hinata on the shoulder to get her attention, pointing towards the Hokage. Hinata turned her gaze towards him, now paying attention fully.

"Now, since there are too many of you that have made it past the first two rounds, we will be holding preliminary battles for the final round. Whoever makes it through these preliminary fights will participate in the third round in a month, and still have the opportunity to become chunin. Any questions?" Hiruzen asked.

The room was silent, and the Hokage, genin, and the jonin all made their way off to the sides, leaving the arena empty.

Then, another jonin stepped into the middle of the arena. He had short brown hair that came down to the bottom of his neck, and down a bit over his forehead. He wore a navy blue bandana with the leaf symbol forehead protector on the front. He also wore the standard jonin uniform and flak jacket. He seemed a bit sick looking, with dark circles under his eyes and a cough that wouldn't go away.

"Alright, _cough cough,_ the preliminaries are about to begin. My name is Hayate Gekko and I will be overseeing this round. Before we begin, I need to go over a few things. _Cough cough._ First, killing is to be avoided at all costs. Second, _cough,_ if an opponent is knocked unconscious, they lose. _Cough._ And lastly, I am permitted to call the match or step in at any point if I feel it is necessary. _Cough._ Any questions?"

None of the genin spoke, so Hayate continued.

"On the screen on the front wall, your names will be displayed at random. _Cough cough._ Whoever's names appear will be who fights. You are allowed to forfeit if you do not wish to fight. _Cough cough._ Any takers?" He asked.

Then, something unexpected happened.

"I'm done. I'm going to forfeit," Came the voice of none other than Kabuto Yakushi.

The genin were all shocked, as were Kabuto's teammates.

"Kabuto-san! You're forfeiting?" Hinata asked incredulously.

He waved her off, "Don't worry. I just don't see myself having a chance against this group. Besides, there's always next time."

Kabuto's teammates pulled him aside, seeming upset about it, but let him go. All the genin who knew Kabuto were surprised, but tried to stay focused on the task at hand.

Hayate continued, "If that's everyone, _cough,_ then we'll begin."

Suddenly, the giant screen on the front wall lit up, and two names appeared.

"The first match is Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado." Announced Hayate.

Sasuke made his way down to the arena, a concerned Sakura watching him closely. He eyed his opponent once he made it to the middle of the arena. His opponent was one of Kabuto's teammates. His outfit was nearly identical to Kabuto's except for a bandana covering his lower face and his head. His eyes were so dark you couldn't even see them. The dark blue bandana on his head had a leaf symbol forehead protector on it. This guy seemed pretty sinister to Sasuke, and he was mysterious as well. He knew nothing about him.

Both fighters took their stance, and Hayate stood between them.

"Alright. _Cough._ Begin."

Immediately, Sasuke tried activating his Sharingan, but the mark on his neck began to drain him and cause him pain as soon as he did. He grabbed his eyes, crying out in pain.

Yoroi took advantage, pinning Sasuke to the ground, holding his face. Then, he began absorbing his chakra. No one else could probably tell, besides Neji, but with her Byakugan activated Hinata could see it clearly.

"What? My chakra! What are doing?!" Sasuke asked frantically.

"Ha! Finally caught on, did you?"

Although weakened, Sasuke had somehow managed to muster up enough strength to kick him off.

"So, you still have some strength left?" Mocked Yoroi. He then came at Sasuke with a barrage of attacks. Sasuke dodged, but just barely. He was shaky, and it appeared as though Yoroi was just toying with him.

"Is that the best you can do?" Yoroi asked, chuckling.

Then, a look of realization washed over Sasuke. Hinata noticed with her eyes activated. Did he have a plan?

Yoroi came at Sasuke again, but this time Sasuke dodged much more smoothly.

Then, he vanished.

"Ah! What the?!" Came the voice of Rock Lee.

"Where did he go?!" Shouted Yoroi, looking around in search of the Uchiha.

"Right here!" Sasuke proclaimed as his foot slammed up into Yoroi, knocking him into the air.

Sasuke then got underneath him, looking to make a finishing move, when all of a sudden he looked pained.

Hinata saw it, and wondered if everyone else did too. The mark on Sasuke's neck spread again. Black flames danced along his skin, spreading outwards.

Sasuke could feel his skin burning, the sensation coursing through him. But then he remembered.

" _Please… stop. That's enough. Don't do it! Please!"_

He remembered Sakura's voice, the anguish in her tone. Her arms encircling him with warmth.

The marks receded.

' _I won't let this thing take me over!'_

Hinata was shocked, but thrilled. Sasuke had controlled the mark!

"Here I go!" Shouted Sasuke as he flipped over Yoroi and slammed his fist into him, shooting him to the ground. Before Yoroi hit however, Sasuke had caught up to him. As Yoroi hit the ground, Sasuke's heel thundered into his gut.

"Lion's Barrage!"

Everyone stared in awe at Sasuke's move. It was amazing, even Kakashi was astounded. He had never seen that move from Sasuke before.

Both laid on the ground for a moment, before Sasuke stood on one knee, trying to fill his aching lungs with air. Yoroi was out cold.

Hayate stepped forward, "The winner is Sasuke Uchiha."

"Yes! Way to go!" Cried Sakura, jumping up and down.

Immediately, Rock Lee spoke up, "That move is just like my taijutsu!" He shouted.

Kakashi had figured as much. He was impressed. Sasuke had managed to copy Lee's move just by seeing it once, thanks to his Sharingan.

"Impressive, Kakashi." Stated Might Guy.

"Sakura-chan, did you see?" Hinata asked her. She was certain Sakura would know what she meant.

The pink haired girl nodded, "Yes, I did. His mark showed up again. But he managed to control it I think. I'm still nervous about it though."

Sasuke collapsed again after the victory, breathing hard from the attack and the energy that was sapped by the curse mark. Kakashi was immediately next to him, holding him up.

"Come on, we're going to take care of that mark." He told him.

Sasuke was shocked, how did Kakashi know? "Kakashi.."

"Come on. We'll talk later. First we have to seal that thing up."

"But I want to see the other fights!" Sasuke protested.

"Don't worry. I'm sure your teammates will fill you in later. Let's go."

Then, the two disappeared is a cloud of smoke.

Unaware of a certain pale skinned jonin from Otogakure who was highly interested in the previous developments.

Hinata's concern for her friend was at an all time high. She couldn't get out of her head what Orochimaru had said about Sasuke seeking him out. Just the thought of that man made her shiver.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Hayate announcing the next match.

"Next up, _cough,_ Sakura Haruno vs. Ino Yamanaka."

Sakura smirked, "Let's do this."

* * *

Naruto was sprawled out on the ground, sucking in air as fast as he could, panting harshly as sweat trickled down his brow.

He had been at it with Jiraiya for hours, attempting the new jutsu, but so far he hadn't had a breakthrough. Just an aching hand, blisters, and an empty supply of chakra. He was done for the day, no doubt.

"Just keep at it kid. You'll get it." Jiraiya told him.

Yes, he knew. That's what Jiraiya kept telling him, but it was so frustrating. Of course, he shouldn't be surprised. Nothing ever came easy to him. But that's what made him who he was. He never gave up, and kept plowing forward.

"Thanks Pervy Sage. I hate to say it, but my chakra is all washed up. I need a good soak in the hot springs." He admitted.

Jiraiya grinned, "Good call. Maybe some rest and relaxation is just what you need."

They both went back to house to grab some extra clothes, and went down to the hot spring to bathe. Once they were there, they sank into the hot water, allowing their muscles to relax.

The bad feeling that Naruto had earlier had now gone away, and he wondered what that had been about. Something else that really bothered him was when he had lost his focus because he heard someone calling his name.

It sounded like…

But that was impossible. His mind must have been playing tricks on him. But why then? In the middle of training? It was all very strange.

As he felt the soothing water work its magic on his body, he allowed his mind and body to drift until he had dozed off, a hazy dream filling his mind.

* * *

 _It was Hinata. She was fighting, in what looked to be an arena. It was undoubtedly her, although she looked a lot different. Her outfit had changed. She wore a very tight purple top, and tight dark pants as well. He had never noticed her body before, but wow. He could definitely see it now. It was… nice._

 _What the heck? Was he a perv now or something?_

 _His eyes were drawn to something in particular though. The sash around her waist. It was orange._

 _He smiled. It almost seemed like she was carrying a part of him with her._

 _From his view, he felt like he was floating above the arena. He could see Hinata in her fighting stance, a fierce look on her face. He liked that look on her. It was a look of determination._

 _Her opponent looked weird. He had a bunch of bandages on his face, and a weird metal contraption on his arm. He had waved it at Hinata, as if expecting something to hit her. But then, Hinata countered._

" _Rotation!" Suddenly, Hinata began to spin rapidly, a dome of swirling blue chakra covering her like a shield. Whatever force her opponent had sent her way, Hinata had seemingly repelled it with that move. And what an awesome move it was!_

" _Wh- what was that?!" The ninja shouted at her._

 _Hinata smirked, "It's a Hyuga trademark jutsu. A defensive style jutsu that I just recently got the hang of. Seems to work effectively against your sound waves. Doesn't it?"_

 _Naruto couldn't believe it. This was Hinata? She sounded so… so confident! Not a stutter in that entire sentence! He grinned widely. He liked hearing her so in control of the situation._

" _That doesn't matter! I'll still beat you!" The ninja screamed, suddenly charging her. Naruto worried for a moment, but Hinata seemed unphased. She simply stood firm in her gentle fist stance, waiting for her opponent. Before he could even strike, however, Hinata was right in front of him, and was striking him all over. How did she get so fast?!_

" _Eight Trigrams: Thirty two palms! Two palms! Four palms! Eight palms! Sixteen palms! Thirty two palms!" Hinata shouted as she continued to strike him, cutting off his tenketsu. Her strikes were precise and powerful. Although her opponent was still standing, it was clear that he could no longer use his arms. He was finished._

" _What? How? I can't move my arms!"_

 _Hinata stood in front of him, simply smiling, "I cut off your tenketsu in your arms and your abdomen. You can't even lift your arms now, let alone use jutsu. This fight is over."_

 _Her opponent snarled at her, but relented. He had no choice now, as his arms were useless. He turned to the official, and gave up the match. He walked away with his head down in defeat._

" _Wooh! Way to go Hinata-chan! I knew you could do it!" Came a familiar voice from the side of the room._

 _Naruto turned towards the voice._

" _Sakura-chan? What the?" He said, although it was clear no one could hear him._

 _Since when were they friends? This was one weird dream._

 _Hinata looked up towards Sakura and smiled brightly, a light pink dusting on her cheeks. Naruto loved her blush, and seeing it with a smile took his breath away. How he longed to be by her side._

 _The official moved to the center of the arena, "Cough, The winner is Hinata Hyuga."_

" _Wahoo! Nice one Hinata-chan! Way to kick ass!" Came a deeper voice. Naruto immediately recognized it as Kiba, and his theory was confirmed when he saw the owner of the voice. He scowled. He was certain Kiba had a thing for her. The bastard._

 _Hinata slowly made her way back to where her teammates were, still wearing a smile. Naruto smiled sadly in response, happy that she was doing well, but sad that he couldn't share the moment with her._

" _Way to go Hinata-chan. I'm… I'm glad you're doing well. I miss you…"_

 _Then, Hinata's head jerked back toward him, a puzzled expression on her face. She didn't make a sound, but he saw the word her mouth formed._

" _Naruto-kun…"_

* * *

"Hinata!"

Naruto awoke with a jolt, shooting up out of the water. He had no idea how long he had dozed off.

"Hinata, huh? That your girl?" Naruto jumped again, looking towards Jiraiya.

Naruto's face burned red, and not from the hot spring, "None of your business Pervy Sage!"

Jiraiya crossed his arms, a smug smile on his face, "Come on, my pupil mutters the same name over and over again in his sleep, then shouts it and I can't ask about it? No fair!"

Naruto froze, "I… I talked in my sleep?"

Jiraiya nodded, "Yep. You just kept saying 'Hinata, Hinata' over and over again. Then you said, 'I miss you'. Then you shouted her name again and woke up. Must've been a heck of a dream."

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled, his face now a deep crimson. He couldn't believe he had said her name in his sleep like that.

But that dream…

It seemed so real! There's no way it was, he knew that. But damn. It just felt so much like he had been transported back to Konoha. Like he was really there.

And Hinata was so strong.

He wondered if she had really become stronger like that. He hoped so.

"Thinking about your girl again?"

Naruto's face burned again, "Can it old man!"

* * *

The preliminaries had come to an end, but not without a bit of chaos. Sakura's fight with Ino went as expected, at least for Hinata. Sakura's training had not gone unrewarded, and she managed to defeat Ino in the end.

Sai had been paired up with Choji, and although Choji was strong, Sai was way too fast for him, and his Super Beast Scroll beat Choji to a pulp, knocking him out. Sai moved on.

Hinata had been paired against one of the Oto genin, Dosu Kinuta. His secret weapon was his sound waves that he shot out from that device on his arm. However, thanks to their encounter in the forest, Hinata knew how to counter it. She was lucky she had managed to learn Rotation recently, as it completely protected her so she could counter attack. She eventually cut off the tenketsu in his arms, winning the match. After the match, Hinata could have sworn she heard Naruto's voice saying her name. But she shook off the notion, knowing that it wasn't possible.

The next match was TenTen of Team Guy vs. Temari of Suna. While Tenten's mastery of weapons was highly impressive, it was a terrible match up against Temari's powerful wind jutsu. Temari easily pulled out the victory.

Next was Shikamaru vs. Kin Tsuchi, another Oto genin. Her specialty was genjutsu, which she employed by creating sound with bells attached to her senbon. However, Shikamaru used his intellect to counter her. He eventually caught her in his Shadow Possession Jutsu, rendering her unable to move. Whatever move he made, she made as well. He backed up until Kin was right in front of the wall, then bent backward quickly, causing her to knock herself out. Shikamaru walked away the victor.

The next match was Shino vs. Zaku Abumi, the third Oto genin. However, thanks to Sasuke, his arms were in casts. He eventually was able to push through the pain and pull them out, however, the devices in his hands were clogged up and rendered useless thanks to Shino's parasitic insects. Shino easily won, displaying his unexpected and fierce Aburame power.

Next, was Kiba vs. Neji. Unfortunately, Hinata knew Kiba didn't stand a chance. While Kiba's taijutsu was strong, it was nowhere near as powerful as the gentle fist style, especially when it was being used by Neji. After tiring Kiba and Akamaru out, and repelling all of their attacks using Rotation, Neji used Eight Trigrams: Sixty Four Palms to completely shut down all of Kiba's tenketsu, winning the match. After winning, Kiba was dragged off to hospital, and Neji smirked arrogantly in Hinata's direction.

He knew. He knew that Hinata had not yet mastered Sixty Four Palms like he had. She had barely managed to get the hang of Rotation before the exams. Neji was still ahead of her and he knew it. She would have to push herself even harder now.

The next match was Kankurō vs. Misumi Tsurugi, Kabuto's other teammate. He wore the same outfit as his other two teammates, wearing a bandana over his face and head, just like Yoroi, and glasses just like Kabuto. Misumi's ability to contort his body like a snake and squeeze Kankurō proved to be impressive, however, Kankurō had tricked him. He actually had attacked Kankuro's puppet instead of him. In response, the puppet snapped his neck, although he survived due to his ability to contort himself. He was taken to the hospital and Kankurō was announced the winner.

The final match was the most intense, and left everyone in awe. It was Rock Lee vs. Gaara. Hinata knew from the forest that Rock Lee was strong, and Sakura had told her that before the exams started, Sasuke had fought him and lost badly. However, she also knew that Gaara was strong too. She was on edge, as was everyone else. Except for Gaara's siblings, who seemed not to be worried at all.

At first, Gaara's sand seemed to make him invincible. Every time Lee tried to attack him, the sand protected Gaara. It moved almost as if it had its own consciousness.

Then, Lee took off his ankle weights. At first, the concept didn't seem like a big deal, however, when the weights smashed into the ground and broke the floor, everyone was stunned into silence.

After that, the fight became even more interesting. After moving faster than Hinata had seen anyone move, Lee had managed to actually land a blow on Gaara.

Things were looking up for Lee. He had been exerting a lot of energy, but he had Gaara on the ropes. However, when Lee attempted his signature move, the Primary Lotus, Gaara had replaced himself with a sand clone before Lee could slam him into the ground. Thanks to the energy brought forth from the move, Lee's body began to tire, and Gaara went on the offensive with his sand.

Then, Lee took it a step further. He began to open up the eight gates, getting all the way to the fifth gate of closing. This technique allowed one to remove the limiters placed on chakra by the body. Lee's body had become incredibly strong, allowing him to move at inhuman speeds, and strike with ridiculous force.

He had used his Hidden Lotus to finish off Gaara, launching him like a rocket to the floor. However, just before Gaara hit the floor, his gord on his back bailed him out. It crumbled, allowing the sand to escape it and cushion the blow. Gaara had withstood the attack, and when it was over, Lee's body had given out.

Lee had attempted to move away, but Gaara had managed to trap his left arm and leg in his sand. He could not cover his entire body due to a lack of strength, but it was enough.

" _Sand Coffin."_

Then the whole room heard a crunch that made them all want to vomit. It was clear that his arm and leg had been crushed.

Unable to walk, Lee had started to crawl away. But Gaara wasn't done. The sand continued to come for Lee, surrounding him.

" _Now you die!"_

But before Gaara could carry it out, the sand was swept away by none other than Might Guy.

Guy, the jonin sensei of Lee's team stood tall in his green jumpsuit, orange leg warmers, and green flak jacket. Just like Lee, he sported a black bowl cut and thick eye brows.

Gaara seemed shocked, as if the notion of Guy saving Lee was unheard of.

"Why…. he failed… why save him?" Asked Gaara.

Guy stared him down intently, "Because he is my student… and also… because he is precious to me."

Gaara's eyes widened, and he looked as though he had stopped breathing.

There was that look again that Hinata thought made him seem familiar. What was it?! She could see something about this pained him on more than a physical level. Why?

Gaara walked away, looking dejected even though he had won. Hinata just watched him, and she felt sad. She wasn't sure why, but she just knew something about Gaara was crying out for help. He seemed lost.

Lee's resolve had left everyone stunned, but in the end he had lost. And it was clear his arm and leg were destroyed. It was unclear if he could ever be a ninja again.

Sakura and Hinata both felt awful for him. Lee had come to their rescue in the forest, and clearly had a good heart. Hinata resonated with Lee because, like her, he was called a failure and seen as a loser by Neji. He wanted to surpass him, just like she did. She felt her heart break for him. It just didn't seem fair.

Then, the Hokage stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention.

"Alright, now that the preliminaries are finished, we will announce the matchups for the finals. Will all those who won their matches please report to the arena.

Sai, Shikamaru, Neji, Sakura, Hinata, Temari, Kankurō, Shino, And Gaara all stood before the Hokage, awaiting the results. Sasuke, of course was still with Kakashi.

"Now, we will pair you up at random. You will be given a month between now and the finals to prepare for your opponent and learn some new tricks. Now, for the pairings." He announced.

"The first matchup, will be Sasuke Uchiha vs. Gaara."

Sakura gasped. Sasuke vs. Gaara? She wasn't honestly sure if Sasuke could defeat him.

"The next match will be Hinata Hyūga vs. Neji Hyuga."

Hinata's heart stopped. Here it was. It was fitting, in a way. She wanted to prove that she could keep up with Neji, and now she would get the perfect opportunity. She glanced towards Neji out of the corner of her eye, seeing that he was watching her as well. Only, he was smirking. Hinata was sure he saw this as a chance to put her in her place. She did feel a twinge of fear, but she forced it down. She wouldn't give in to fear like she had in the past. There was too much riding on this.

The Hokage spoke up again, "The third match will be Shino Aburame vs. Kankurō."

Shino against Kankurō, Hinata was confident that Shino could win, but then again Kankuro's match hadn't lasted too long. She hadn't been able to see the full extent of his abilities.

"The fourth match will be Shikamaru Nara vs. Temari."

Everyone could hear a subtle " _what a drag"_ being muttered before the Hokage announced the last match.

"The final match will be Sakura Haruno vs. Sai. Now, good luck to you all, and I will see you again in one month."

Sakura frowned. She would be fighting Sai? She didn't like that. He was her teammate, and despite his strange emotionless attitude, she liked him.

"Sakura?"

She turned her head, and she saw Sai standing before her.

"Hey Sai. So, it looks like we've been matched up." She said.

He smiled a robotic smile at her, and she winced. He still hadn't gotten that down, "Yes. I have to say, I am somewhat disappointed." He told her.

Sakura furrowed her eyebrows, "Why is that? Am I not strong enough for you or something?!"

Sai didn't flinch at all at her threatening tone, "Oh not at all. I actually believe you will be quite challenging. Your taijutsu skills have become quite strong recently. However…"

Then, Sai looked to the ground, and Sakura could actually make out a small amount of emotion on his face. He seemed… hesitant? Sad?

"I… I think that you are my friend, Sakura. That is why I do not like the fact that we must fight." He admitted.

Sakura was stunned into silence. Emotionless, numb, robotic Sai thought of her as a friend? Was he finally starting to feel some emotion? She flashed him a toothy grin, "Thanks Sai. I feel the same way. But don't worry! We'll give it our all without hurting each other, and may the best ninja win, right?"

He nodded, smiling again and feeling better.

Hinata made her way over to the pair, "Hi Sakura-chan, Sai-kun, here." She said as she held out a circular container.

"What is it Hinata-chan?"

She smiled, "It's a healing ointment. I brought some in case my friends needed it. Go ahead and use some if you want. You too, Sai-kun."

Sai froze. Her words echoed in his mind.

 _I brought some in case my_ _ **friends**_ _needed it._

So she thought of him as a friend as well? He could feel a warmth and his chest constricting a bit, but not in a bad way. He wasn't sure what this sensation meant, but he would have to read about it to find out.

"Thank you, Hinata."

She smiled warmly, "You're welcome! Now I have to go. Shino and I are about to go visit Kiba. He's in the hospital, but he should be okay. See you later!" She waved as she ran off with Shino.

As they made their way outside, Shino turned to her, "Hinata, are you nervous at all?"

She exhaled shakily, "Yes, Shino-kun, I am. However, I won't let that stop me. I'm going to push myself to my limit. I was actually wondering, would you like to train together? I'm sure Kiba will be up in no time, and he can join us too."

Shino nodded, "Actually, I was going to suggest the same thing. Why? Because we already work well as a team, it only makes sense that we would be able to make each other stronger."

Hinata grinned, and suddenly she was looking forward to the final round. It would be tough, probably the toughest thing she's ever had to do, but she would give it her all. Even if she failed, she would make Neji work hard for his victory. This month she was going to work harder than ever before.

She would become stronger, and she would never go back on her word. After all, that was her ninja way.

* * *

Kakashi stood in a secret basement, hidden from the outside world. He had just finished drawing the seal on Sasuke and around the floor. All that was left to do was seal that mark up.

"Now, this is going to hurt, but it will keep that curse mark in check. Are you ready?"

Sasuke braced himself, "Just do it."

Kakashi nodded, and ran through a series of hand signs, "Ninja art: Cursed Sealing." Then, he placed his palm on Sasuke's neck.

The seal glowed a brilliant blue around him, and Sasuke screamed at the top of his lungs, his neck feeling as though it was on fire.

In a matter of moments, the sealing was done and Sasuke had passed out from the pain of it.

"There. That should do it."

"To think you'd be able to handle sealing jutsu. You've grown, Kakashi." Kakashi instantly swiveled around to the sound of the menacing voice. A voice like a snake.

"You…"

"It's been a long time Kakashi."

"Orochimaru." He breathed. The Sannin stood before him, no disguises. His skin was white as snow, and his hair greasy and black, reaching his shoulders. He had fangs like a snake, and his yellow eyes were surrounded by purple rings.

"Sorry, Kakashi, but I have no business with you. However, I do have business with Sasuke there." The snake said.

"Why are you after Sasuke?!"

Orochimaru simply chuckled, "You should know. You have it now, right? The Uchiha power in the your left eye?"

Kakashi gasped. Of course, he's after the Sharingan.

"I want it as well. And I will have it."

Orochimaru took a step forward, and Kakashi took a stance immediately. His hand began to glow as he glared at Orochimaru.

"Not one step further! I don't care if you are one of the Sannin, I can at least take you down with me!" As he shouted this, his hand became enshrouded in blue lightning, shooting out in all directions.

Orochimaru stopped, then began to chuckle again.

"What's so funny?!" Kakashi asked him.

"You are. I don't need to force my way to Sasuke. He will come to me to seek out power for revenge. It is his goal, after all." Orochimaru explained.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, "I see. So you took advantage of that, did you?"

The snake smirked, "Yes. That's what he is, after all. There's no need to push forward here," He stated as he turned, walking away, "Sasuke will definitely seek me out soon enough."

Kakashi knew he should go after him, try to stop him, but he couldn't. Bone-chilling fear held him back. He had never been so afraid of another ninja before. He looked back down at the raven haired boy on the ground, determined more than ever to protect him. But could he? From a monster like that?

"Damn you, Orochimaru."

* * *

Naruto sat on his bed, staring at his bandaged hand. It was still shaking from all that he had put it through, and it hurt like hell. But he would have to try again tomorrow. He needed to push through and perfect this jutsu so he could become stronger.

If what Jiraiya said was true, they would soon have to leave to protect Konoha, and he would have to be ready. He needed to perfect the new jutsu by then. He had to become as strong as he could.

He couldn't get over how real that dream from earlier had felt. How amazing Hinata had looked. He wondered why he had dreamt of her that way. Sure, he always wanted her to be confident, but he still loved her just the way she was. For some reason, his mind had concocted that scenario, and changed her appearance and attitude quite a bit. It was bizarre.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a knock at the door.

"Yeah, what's up Pervy Sage?"

Jiraiya opened the door and walked in, a grin on his face.

"I got something for you kid." He said as he held out a piece of paper with writing on it. Naruto's interest was piqued.

"What is it?"

"Well, in my last message to the Hokage I asked for an update on the Chunin Exams for your sake. He gave me the names of everyone in the finals, and they're on that note there. I figured you'd like to see that." He explained.

Naruto quickly grabbed the note and inspected it closely.

 _J,_

 _As you asked, here are the names of those in the finals of the exams next month. They have been placed under a tough seal, which I expect that you should be able to undo._

Clearly, Jiraiya had already undone the seal, which Naruto appreciated.

 _Shikamaru Nara (Konoha), Sakura Haruno (Konoha), Sasuke Uchiha (Konoha), Temari (Suna), Neji Hyuga (Konoha), Gaara (Suna), Kankurō (Suna), Shino Aburame (Konoha), Sai (Konoha), and Hinata Hyuga (Konoha)._

 _Expect to be called on very soon, probably in the next couple of weeks._

 _Be careful,_

 _HS._

"Hinata…" He breathed. She had done it! She was in the finals! He couldn't believe it. He was bursting from the seams with pride for her.

His chest became warm, and if nothing else came from him being forced to go home, at least maybe he could watch her compete from the shadows. He could cheer her on.

"Thank you so much Pervy Sage. This means a lot, ya know?"

Jiraiya gave him a thumbs up, "No problem. Just use that as more motivation okay? We'll pick it up bright and early tomorrow."

Naruto saluted him, "Yes sir!"

* * *

 _ **Author's Note!**_

 **Whew! What a long chapter, huh? That took me forever to get how I wanted it. Obviously, I changed a lot around from the original story. I know that initially Team 7 took a few days after Orochimaru's attack to make it to the tower and they meet up with Kabuto and all that, but I wasn't about to write that out and drag out the chapter even more. So I skipped ahead of that.**

 **I also didn't want to spend forever on each individual fight. The only ones I really wanted to highlight were Sasuke's and Lee vs. Gaara. Of course I touched on Hinata's through Naruto's dream. Do you guys like their connection?**

 **If you have some suggestions for things you'd like to see in the final round of the Chunin exams, let me know!**

 **Next chapter will skip ahead to a few days before the final round of the exams. Stuff is gonna go down! Stay tuned!**

 **Be sure to check out the poll on my profile!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello again! I know it's been a while.**

 _ **So for those of you who aren't following my other story, I'll fill you guys in.**_ **I just took on a second job, and I now work 60 hours/ week. Needless to say, this is going to push back my update time quite a bit from now on. Hopefully this set up won't last too long, but I'm struggling with financial troubles at the moment, so it had to happen. I'll continue to write and update my stories, but it won't be quickly like before, unfortunately.**

 **BUT I love writing, and I love hearing from you guys, so I'll keep going! :)**

 **Anyway, the beginning of this chapter will take place several days before the final round of the exams. We'll see some stuff from Hinata and Team 8, SasuSaku, Naruto & Jiraiya, Hiruzen, Danzo & Sai, Kakashi, and more! Lots of people to catch up with! I'll also include some stuff from Gaara! I worked really hard to get this chapter the way I wanted it, so I hope you guys like it!**

 **On to Chapter 11!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. Naruto is owned by M. Kishimoto.**

* * *

"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!" Hinata shouted as she thrust her palm forward, repelling a wall of insects in the opposite direction. She grinned as she noticed how much more powerful her Air Palm had become, considering that just a few months ago, she couldn't do it at all.

Shino stepped forward, pleased with her progress, "Excellent Hinata. Your Rotation and Air Palm have become strong in our training. Neji will have his work cut out for him.

She felt a fresh wave a nerves slam into her at the mention of Neji, "I hope you're right Shino-kun. You've gotten a lot stronger too!"

"Hey! What about me! I'm training with you guys too!" Came the annoyed voice of Kiba, Akamaru barking in agreement.

Hinata giggled, knowing Kiba couldn't help but interject. He was feeling a bit down that he was the only member of Team 8 not in the finals.

Shino turned toward him, his emotions unflinching under his sunglasses, "Kiba, you have gotten better, but it's irrelevant at the moment. Why? Because Hinata and I are in the finals later this week, and you are n-"

"I know! Shut up Shino!" Kiba yelled, cutting him off. Hinata just laughed again, feeling somewhat sorry for her teammate. It was just unfortunate that he had been matched up against someone like Neji.

"Okay everyone, I must be going now, it's getting late," Mentioned Shino, noticing that the sun was beginning to set, "Same time tomorrow?"

"You bet!" Responded Kiba.

Hinata nodded, "Yes, that sounds good."

"Alright then, I'll see you then." Shino announced before turning walking towards his home.

Hinata was gathering her things, when she heard a cough from behind her. She turned around and saw Kiba standing there, avoiding her gaze and fidgeting nervously with Akamaru next to him, nudging his leg with his nose.

"What's wrong Kiba-kun?"

Suddenly, his cheeks turned pink, "W-well… it's just…"

"Yes?"

Kiba stopped his fidgeting, a sudden look of determination washed over his features.

"Hinata-chan… I really like you. I know that you probably figured that out already, but I'm saying it anyway. Hinata-chan… would you at least maybe consider going out with me?" He asked her, his cheeks still aflame.

Hinata herself was feeling quite embarrassed. Of course Kiba liked her. Everyone knew it, he asked her out all the time, practically drooled over her on occasion. But she didn't want to have to deal with it outright, not yet. But she couldn't lead him on, she had to be honest with him.

She gave him a sad smile, "Kiba-kun, I'm sorry, but I just can't return your feelings."

His eyes turned sad, "Is there something I'm doing wrong?"

"No!" She assured him, "It's not that, it's just, well the truth is, I'm in love with someone else." She admitted, her cheeks colored pink.

Kiba perked up, "Who?"

Alright, she needed to be honest with him. He deserved to know, "It's Naruto-kun."

Kiba eyes went wide, "Naruto?!"

She nodded,

"But Hinata-chan, Naruto hasn't been back to the village in months, you don't even know if he will ever come back!" He countered.

She narrowed her eyes, "Yes I do know. Naruto-kun has a lot of issues that you or I can't begin to understand. But he will be back if I have to drag him back myself!" She took a few deep breaths, calming herself, "Kiba-kun, I'm sorry. But I already gave my heart to him, and I can't take it back. I care about you, you're my teammate and friend, but that's as far as it can go." She said firmly, leaving no room for argument.

Kiba nodded, eyes downcast, "I see. Well, Naruto's a lucky guy, even if he doesn't know it." He gave her sad smile, "I believe that you love him, but I'm not giving up. Just know that I'll always be here Hinata-chan."

She smiled at him, "I know that Kiba-kun. Anyway, I should be going now. Father must be expecting me for dinner. I'll see you tomorrow." She said as she began to walk away.

Kiba watched her figure disappear, until she was gone completely.

"Yeah. See ya…"

Cerulean orbs watched from the shadows as he too ran off to home.

* * *

Naruto had seen everything. Team 8 training, Hinata showing off her moves, and then how she rejected Kiba, saying she was in love with him. His emotions were swirling like a hurricane inside of him.

It had been two and half weeks since he and Jiraiya had arrived back in the village. Only the Hokage and Kakashi knew of them being there. Jiraiya had told him that he didn't have to hide, that he could go see his friends, but he refused. He knew they would be better off without him, and him seeing Hinata again would only cause her more pain and heartache in the long run.

Before they had left, Naruto had managed to improve his taijutsu greatly. He had also learned a new sealing jutsu, one that seals up an opponent's chakra for four hours, rendering them completely unable to perform jutsus. He was excited he had managed to get that one down, it would definitely be useful, no doubt. He had dabbled in working with the sword, although he wasn't very good at all without proper training. He had brought it along with him, just in case.

He still hadn't mastered the new jutsu Jiraiya had him working on. He had been able to do it successfully a few times, but he still couldn't do it consistently. He would have to practice more, although he halted his training for now, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

No, he stayed hidden. But that didn't stop him from seeing Hinata. He followed her. From the time she left in the day to when she went to sleep at night. He berated himself constantly for becoming some kind of stalker, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to stop watching her, knew he should, but his heart cried out for her, refused to allow him to leave. He was so torn.

Hearing Kiba ask her out hadn't been any better. He had suspected in the past that he had a thing for her, and his suspicions were confirmed now. When Kiba had asked her, Naruto could feel rage bubbling up inside of him, his face was hot from anger. However, when Hinata turned him down, he was able to calm himself.

When she had told Kiba that she was in love with him, tears leaked from his eyes. She still loved him. Jiraiya was right. She still did. Even after he left her the way he did, she still loved him. The moment was as joyful as it was heartbreaking.

He wished he hadn't heard those words. He wished he hadn't heard Hinata profess her love for him. Because now it would be harder to stay away from her. It would be more difficult for him to leave. He gripped his chest, trying in vain to ease the horrible pain he felt. It hurt so bad, he swore his heart was literally breaking in two.

' _ **Naruto.'**_

' _I know.'_

' _ **You can't allow your feelings to cloud your judgement. If you continue to follow this girl, you'll end up regretting it.'**_ Kurama claimed.

' _I know! I know! I get it Kurama, I just can't help it alright! I'm in love with her! I don't know when the last time I see her will be. I just can't bring myself to stay away.'_ He shouted in his head.

' _ **Hmph. You humans and your mates. It makes you become blithering fools.'**_

Naruto couldn't argue against that. He constantly chastised himself for still feeling like there was hope for him and Hinata when there was none. He was destined to be alone, to never have a family. He knew this, but yet he still yearned for it. Wanted it so badly his very soul cried out for him to just go to Hinata. But he fought it. He knew he could never drag her down the path he was on, he would ruin her life.

And just as Kurama had said, he was now going to prove how much of a fool he was, and follow Hinata home.

* * *

If Jiraiya knew how often he was doing this, he would be furious. His job was to keep a lookout for suspicious activity, namely something that may lead to Orochimaru. However, if he was being honest, he had hardly done that. Most of his time was spent doing this: being Hinata's stalker. He felt ashamed of himself, and yet he felt as though he couldn't stop. He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

So here was, yet again, watching her getting ready for bed while he sat in a tall tree right outside of the compound. He didn't watch her undress or anything, he wasn't going to stoop that low. He would just watch her write in her diary, watch her brush her hair, watch her lips occasionally curve up into a smile. All of it made his heart beat frantically.

Tonight, he noticed something different about her routine since he had started this strange tendency. She didn't smile or giggle as she wrote in her diary. She did something that made his heart ache and made his chest feel hollowed out.

It wasn't loud, he doubted anyone in the house heard it. Certainly had he not been paying close attention, he may not have seen it at first.

As Hinata wrote in her diary tonight, silent tears trickled down her flushed cheeks.

His chest constricted as he swallowed the lump in his throat. Her tears began to fall more quickly, until she shut her diary. She put her head down on her desk, covering her face with her hands and crying a bit harder. He could tell by the way her shoulders and back shook.

He could feel his heart crumbling as he took in the scene before him. She was sad, and he was almost certain he was the cause, that he had done it. He longed to go to her, wipe her tears away, and pull her into a tight embrace. He wanted to take on her sadness, bear it for himself, to relieve her of her pain completely.

But he couldn't.

His shoulders began to tremble as he squinted his eyes shut and grit his teeth, attempting to keep his own tears at bay. Realizing he was doomed to fail, he left the tree and leapt away into the night, back to his old apartment.

His place had been completely untouched since he had left, much to his surprise. He had initially wondered how that was possible, considering it should have been rented out to someone else by now. However, the Hokage had explained to Jiraiya that he had continued to pay Naruto's rent for him, just in case he ever wanted to return. While Naruto appreciated the gesture, he wished that he wouldn't have done it. Then again, it was nice to be able to stay in his own apartment while he was back.

Hearing his stomach rumble, he decided to rummage through what was left in his old pantry, hoping there was still some instant ramen left. To his relief, there were still a few left. He took one out as he put some water on to boil on the stove. He sat down at his table to wait, then he heard a knock at the door.

His brows creased, hoping it was Jiraiya. He felt a twinge of fear that perhaps he had been discovered by someone, and that they had followed him here.

He hesitantly made his way to the door, looking through the peephole to see who was waiting to enter. To his surprise, he saw none other than the Hokage.

Hiruzen stood outside in his robes, patiently waiting for Naruto to let him in. The blonde sighed, hoping the Hokage just wanted to give him some info regarding Orochimaru. He turned the knob of his door, allowing Hiruzen to enter.

"Hello Naruto. May I come in?" He asked pleasantly.

Naruto nodded, not saying a word as he stepped to the side allowing the Hokage to come in. Hiruzen strode over to the couch, taking a seat, gesturing for Naruto to take a seat next to him, which he did.

"It's good to see you, Naruto."

"Thanks. You too, Gramps."

The two sat in a bit of awkward silence, which was broken by a whistling sound. Naruto jumped up.

"Oh. I'm making some ramen. You want any?" He asked.

Hiruzen shook his head, "No thank you."

Naruto went into the kitchen to remove the water from the heat, pouring some into his cup of ramen, then covering it with the lid to let the noodles soften. He then returned to the couch.

"Old man, not to be rude, but why are you here?" Naruto questioned him, getting straight to the point.

Hiruzen's expression turned serious, "Naruto, I've seen you. I know what you've been doing."

The blonde's eyes widened, before he reigned in his surprise, "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. I know you haven't been keeping an eye out for trouble all this time. You've been doing it some, but most of your time has been spent watching Hinata Hyuga. Am I wrong?"

Naruto shifted his gaze to his lap, watching his own hands fidget with the hem of his shirt. To say he was embarrassed would be an understatement. Of course the Hokage was keeping an eye on him. He should have seen that coming. Naruto shut his eyes and nodded, and new wave of sadness flowing through him.

"That's what I thought," Hiruzen began, "I can't say I'm surprised. You must care for her as much as she cares for you."

Naruto lifted his eyes to stare at Hiruzen, "Gramps, is she- I mean, does she… does she ever ask about me? Talk about me? Do you know?" He hated himself for asking, for dying to know.

The Hokage smiled softly, "All the time. In fact, many people do."

Naruto was shocked to hear this, "Really?!"

"Yes. Hinata is on a mission though. She wants to bring you home, and she's not alone. Your old teammates seem to have joined her in that quest." He explained.

Naruto couldn't believe what he was hearing, "You-you mean Sasuke and Sakura-chan? They want me back too?"

He nodded, "Indeed. They have come to me multiple times asking for permission to go after you. Of course, I denied them. I doubt they would be able to, and I think the mission too dangerous for genin to undertake. So, as you can imagine, they are all taking the Chunin Exams quite seriously. As you know, all three are in the finals, a remarkable feat for rookies."

Naruto allowed the gears to turn in his mind, absorbing this new information. He thought back to that dream he had, remembering how Hinata fought. Was it possible that it wasn't a dream after all? That it was real?

After Naruto hasn't responded, Hiruzen continued, "Naruto. I'm here to tell you that there's no reason for you to torture yourself. You can come home. Put this heartbreak behind you, and be with the girl you love."

Naruto felt his cheeks get incredibly hot, "You know?"

Hiruzen chuckled, "I can see it. There's no doubt. Even though it is rare to see at such a young age, both you and Hinata have had to grow up quickly, especially you Naruto."

Naruto let the Hokage's words sink in, when he heard another voice.

' _ **Don't let your feelings interfere Naruto. You know he doesn't understand you. Even if he wants to. Remember what can happen if you stay around these people that you love? Remember the Akatsuki? What if they got a hold of the Hyuga girl to get to you? What about that Danzo bastard? They all want to use us, use me.'**_ Kurama chanted in his mind, attempting to get him to see reason.

Naruto shook his head, clutching his knees and squinting his eyes shut, "No, Gramps, I'm sorry. I can't. I want to, but I just _can't._ You wouldn't understand."

"Naruto-"

"Can you please leave?" Naruto asked him, interrupting him. He couldn't hear anymore. Kurama was right, he couldn't stay here and risk getting others into trouble. Just the thought of that happening, especially to Hinata, made him feel ill.

Hiruzen frowned, but stood and made his way to the door, heeding the boy's request.

"One more thing," Hiruzen spoke before he exited, "We suspect that Orochimaru will dispatch his henchmen to make a move soon. Please, be careful."

Naruto nodded, a despondent look still etched onto his features. Hiruzen sighed, then walked out closing the door behind him. Naruto trudged over to the kitchen, wanting to at least a little of his ramen before bed. Although his appetite had all but left him.

Afterwards he crawled into bed, closing his eyes before drifting off, seeing pale lavender in his dreams.

* * *

Danzo was a patient man. One of the most patient men alive, you could say. That's what made him so dangerous. He would wait however long it took for his plans to be implemented, and when it was least expected, he would strike.

However, his patience with a certain subordinate of his was beginning to wear thin.

As he stood in the underground hideout of ROOT, a flash of black appeared in front of him, the newcomer bowed in front of him.

"Rise, Sai."

Sai slowly rose to his feet, looking the elder man in the eyes.

Danzo directed his cold glare at him, "Any news to report, Sai?"

"No, Lord Danzo."

Danzo narrowed his eyes at the boy. This was becoming too much of a pattern the past couple of months.

"Sai, you have given me no new information for many weeks now. Do you need to be reminded what is at stake?"

Sai shift his eyes to the floor, "No, Lord Danzo."

Danzo began pacing around the room, "This is all for the sake of Konoha. Nothing more, nothing less. The nine tails is something we must utilize. Therefore, it is essential that we find Naruto Uzumaki. You are needed to help me in this task. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir…"

Danzo noticed his hesitation, "You wish to say more?"

"Sir, I wonder… what is to become of Naruto? Once he is found?"

Danzo met his eyes, "I will persuade the boy to my cause, the way I do it is of no concern to you. However, I will do whatever is necessary."

Sai felt a chill creep up his skin. He didn't like the sound of that.

"Lord Danzo, what about what Naruto wants to do?"

Danzo seemed shocked that Sai would ask such a question, pausing for the slightest moment, "Sai, what is it that you have been taught by me?"

"There is only the mission. Nothing else matters."

"Exactly. The details are unimportant. You have a mission that you must fulfill. Now, can I expect nothing but your success in this endeavor?" He questioned him, his lone visible eye seeming to look through him.

Sai dropped to one knee, closing his eyes, "Yes sir, of course."

Danzo visibly relaxed, "Good. Dismissed."

* * *

He didn't think that his student's initial return would cause him so much stress.

Ever since he had been made aware of Naruto and Jiraiya's stay in the village by the Hokage, Kakashi had been dying to tell his students, to go to Naruto himself and implore him to stay.

But he hadn't done so.

Jiraiya had told him that Naruto needed to make that decision for himself, wanting to respect his wishes. The silver haired jonin knew it made sense, but his heart was telling him otherwise. It all just seemed so wrong.

He glanced to his right, then to his left, attempting to detect any unusual chakras or suspicious activity. He was standing above the Hokage tower with Jiraiya, planning on discussing a few things about the blonde knucklehead. When he knew for sure they weren't being spied on, he began to speak.

"Jiraiya, how is he?"

Jiraiya scratched his chin, "As good as he can be I suppose. I won't lie to you and say he's doing great psychologically, but his physical training has done wonders for him. If I'm right, he may be able to be strong enough to be out in the open in a few year's time."

Kakashi nodded, "You said psychologically speaking there are some concerns?"

Jiraiya let out an exasperated groan, "Yes, well, for one thing he hasn't exactly been able to stay on task since we've returned."

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow, "What does that mean?"

"Well, he's being a… well… a bit of a stalker you could say? It's the Hyuga girl. Hinata, I believe her name is. He's incredibly infatuated with her it seems." He explained.

"So… he's following her?" Kakashi deduced.

"Exactly. All the time. I'm sure he has no idea that I know, but I've been keeping an eye on him every now and then. It's not like I've forbidden him from making himself known to his friends, but he keeps saying it would be a bad idea. There's no convincing him otherwise. He's just as stubborn as his mother."

Kakashi couldn't help but smile a bit at that, remembering how hard headed Kushina could be.

Jiraiya's face took on a serious look as he continued, "He seemed completely heartbroken over her. They clearly have a special connection, although they're young. Not only is he dealing with that, but I'm not with him all the time. A lot of the time, he's completely alone with nothing but the nine tails as company."

Kakashi's eyes widened, "So he's making contact?"

Jiraiya nodded, "It would appear so. I have my suspicions that Nine tails wants to keep Naruto away from the village. Perhaps he's afraid of someone using his power, therefore is influencing the boy. This is all speculation however, but I think I'm onto something."

Kakashi didn't like the sound of that, but what could they do to stop it? Nine tails was in Naruto's head, constantly being able to talk to him. It would be easy to succumb to that kind of influence. It was no wonder Naruto seemed so serious about staying away from everyone. And not to mention what happened with Iruka had to still be affecting him. How was Naruto coping with all of this?

"I have to say, though, I'm impressed with him."

Jiraiya's comment snapped Kakashi out of his thoughts, "What do you mean?"

Jiraiya grinned, "Well Naruto has dealt with so much pain and heartache throughout his life, and continues to do so. Not only that, but he bears the burden of a jinchuriki and knows people are after him. That would be enough to bring most people to their knees, but not him. Sure, he has his bad days, but he continues to press on. I'm proud of him."

Kakashi smiled, taking some comfort in the sage's words but he still couldn't shake this feeling he had. His sensei's son all on his own, dealing with what he was? It felt so wrong.

"Jiraiya, please, Naruto is so young. Just… can't you make him stay? Stay where people care for him?" Kakashi pleaded.

Jiraiya furrowed his brows, "I could, but I won't. You know that Naruto can't be so out in the open right now with the Akatsuki looking for him. He and the village are both safer if he's not here. If he wants to stay, however, I won't stop him. It's up to him. But I would rather train him up as best I can first. Besides, you and I both know that not everyone here cares for him."

Kakashi sighed, that was true. While some people had come to regret how they treated the boy, some were happy that he was gone. It was sad, but it couldn't be denied.

"Don't worry Kakashi. I'm keeping an eye on him. I won't let anything happen. In the meantime, keep a close eye on the Uchiha boy."

Yes. Of course he would. He had, after all, been training him ever since he had regained his strength. He had been watching him closely ever since Sasuke had been given the curse mark.

"Good grief, why can't any of my students be easy going?" Kakashi groaned.

Jiraiya laughed, "You can handle it Kakashi. I have the utmost faith in you." He declared as he placed a hand on the jonin's shoulder.

Kakashi appreciated the gesture. He just hoped that Jiraiya's faith in him wasn't misplaced.

* * *

It was constant. Agonizing. Never ending.

It wouldn't let him sleep, the dark bags under his eyes evidence of that fact.

It spoke to him, willed him to do it.

To kill.

To kill to continue existing, to thrive.

The urge gnawed at his soul, never letting up.

There was no reprieve, no breaks. He was either killing or seeking out new prey. It was his life as a demon, a monster who loves only himself.

Gaara. A cursed name. A name that destined him to be what he was.

Even now, as he sat in the silence of his temporary room, he could hear it.

Mother.

Calling to him, demanding the blood of new prey.

"I promise, Mother. Soon."

But it was never soon enough. Mother was always pushing him for more. Bringing the monster out in him. Bloodlust flowed through him at an alarming rate, a murderous intent rolled off of him in waves.

Soon.

' _ **There's another.'**_

His green eyes widened.

' _Another?'_

' _ **Another like you. A monster. He's here.'**_

Mother told him that someone else like him was nearby. Was it true? It had to be. Mother had told him so.

' _ **Kurama.'**_

"Kurama?"

' _ **Kill him. He is like you. Like us. There can only be one. Kill him.'**_

"Yes. I must. I will continue to exist."

He could feel the uncontrollable desire welling up in him. The moon would be full tonight. Perfect.

"I promise, Mother."

* * *

Naruto sighed, angry with himself for failing once again. Failing to stay away.

There he sat, disguised with a transformation jutsu, at a table in the corner of a cafe. Watching her.

She was dressed casually today, he guessed she hadn't gone to train yet. She was sitting at a table with Sakura, eating a cinnamon roll and drinking tea.

She was wearing a lavender dress that flowed down to her knees, and plain black sandals. It was such a simple outfit, but to Naruto it brought out her inner beauty. Her cheeks were a lovely shade of pink as usual as she chatted with Sakura. Naruto was listening intently, disguised as a grown man with black hair and green eyes.

"How is your training going Hinata-chan? Are Kiba and Shino pushing you?" Sakura asked her while taking a sip of her tea.

Hinata nodded, "Yes. I'm pleased with the progress we're making. How about you? Have you seen Sasuke-kun at all recently?"

Sakura's expression turned noticeably sad, "No. Kakashi-sensei said he's fine, but I haven't seen him since he disappeared from the hospital."

Naruto frowned.

' _The hospital?'_

Sakura continued, "I've been keeping an eye out for him, but it's no use. I just hope…" She lowered her voice, and Naruto strained to hear her next words, "I hope he's gotten that curse mark under control. That encounter with Orochimaru really terrified me."

Naruto's heart stopped. Dread nearly slammed into him. Orochimaru? They ran into them? Did Jiraiya know about it?

"Yes, I agree," Hinata began, "But if Kakashi-sensei says he's alright, then I'm sure he is. And we'll see him at the finals. I'm worried about him too Sakura-chan, but don't worry. He's in good hands."

Sakura allowed herself a small smile, "You're right, I know. I just can't help but worry. You must know what I'm feeling. You never stop worrying about Naruto, right?"

Naruto's breath caught in his throat as his heart began thumping erratically in his chest. He wanted to hear this.

"Of course I never stop worrying about him. But there's so much uncertainty with Naruto-kun. But… well... it's weird."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, "What is?"

Hinata hesitated, but continued, "Lately, it's almost like I can feel his presence. Like, I don't know, like he's here." She confessed.

Naruto was shocked. He couldn't believe it. He hid his disbelief well, but he couldn't stop himself from listening in more. He wanted her to continue.

"It's like he's actually near me. Even right now, I can feel him."

Sakura giggled, "You're such a hopeless romantic Hinata-chan!"

Hinata's face proceeded to burn a fierce crimson, and Naruto smiled softly. Seeing her blush over him made him feel warm inside.

"S-Sakura-chan! Stop! I mean it!" She squealed as her pink haired friend continued to laugh, "Seriously, I feel as though we're connected. I just hope that no matter what, my love is able to reach him."

' _It is.'_ He thought.

"And when he needs me, I'll be there no matter what."

' _I do need you.'_

' _ **Naruto.'**_ Kurama said in warning.

He sighed, ' _I know. I should go. Can you sense anyone with the Sharingan nearby? Are you even able to do that?'_

' _ **You're looking for the Uchiha brat…'**_

' _So what if I am! They said they had a run in with Orochimaru. I need to go investigate.'_

' _ **Whatever.'**_ He growled in exasperation.

' _So can you do it?'_

' _ **Head southwest. I'll tell you when to stop.'**_

' _Thanks, Kurama.'_

The fox snarled, ' _ **Don't thank me! It weirds me out!'**_

Naruto simply rolled his eyes, ' _Whatever you grouchy bastard. Let's get going.'_

Naruto took one last long look at Hinata before exiting the cafe, his chest feeling hollow again. But he actually had something to distract him now. While it's true that Naruto needed to investigate, he was also worried about Sasuke. Something he would never admit out loud, but it was true nonetheless.

He followed the fox's directions towards the outskirts of the village until he came to a cliff-like rocky area, one he had surprisingly never been to before. He hid himself well behind a large boulder, listening in intently on their training.

When he heard what sounded like chirping birds combined with lightning, he peered out slightly to get a better look.

There stood Kakashi and Sasuke, one looking rather exhausted, the other simply reading a small book. Kakashi peered up from his reading for a moment and Naruto feared he had been discovered, but when Kakashi didn't say anything, he figured it must've just been his imagination.

"Alright Sasuke, give it one more go." Kakashi spoke up.

Sasuke, who was still breathing harshly, nodded and got into a stance. Naruto watched intently as Sasuke began to focus chakra into his right hand.

"Remember, focus the chakra, then change its nature to lightning!" Kakashi reminded him.

Sasuke focused even harder, beads of sweat dripping from his face. Suddenly, small blue sparks began forming in his hand. They grew bigger and bigger until…

"Great Sasuke! Now focus the attack!" Shouted Kakashi.

Naruto's eyes grew wide as he witnessed this technique. Sasuke's hand was shrouded in a blue lightning, the sound piercing to his ears. When Sasuke took off in a sprint, it was clear the lightning made him incredibly faster.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, using all of his strength to keep the attack going, then thrust his fist forward into a boulder.

"Chidori!" He screamed as his lightning shrouded fist made contact with the rock, smashing it into a thousand pieces. Naruto had to fight the urge to jump up and down and scream about how awesome that was. At the same time, he could feel jealousy clawing at him. Sasuke mastered things so easily. It almost seemed unfair.

Sasuke collapsed on the ground, completely spent, attempting desperately to fill his lungs with oxygen.

Kakashi closed his book, placing it into his back pocket, "Well, I think that's enough for today Sasuke. You've worked hard. How about we head back?"

Sasuke simply nodded, still breathing too hard to answer verbally. He had finally mastered the chidori, although it still needed to be fine-tuned. He would be ready to face off against Gaara.

Shakily, Sasuke got to his feet and followed Kakashi back towards the village. Naruto made sure to remain hidden behind the rock, making no sudden movements until both were out of sight.

He exhaled, letting himself relax. Okay, so Sasuke was okay. More than okay, he had mastered a cool new jutsu for crying out loud! Naruto felt extremely envious, and yet happy at the same time that his former teammate was okay. He wasn't sure if he and Sasuke were ever friends, but for some reason he still cared.

' _ **Caring for these pathetic humans will simply get you killed.'**_ Rang a familiar voice in his head.

Naruto scoffed, ' _Anyone ever tell you that you sound like a broken record? And since when do you care if I'm hurt?'_

' _ **I don't! But I do care if you're killed because that would kill me as well! Baka!'**_ He retorted.

' _Yeah yeah I get it.'_ He thought, rolling his eyes, ' _But since I control this body and you don't, I'm calling the shots. I won't make myself known and put anyone in danger, but that doesn't mean I can't protect them from the shadows.'_

Naruto heard a deep growl inside his mind.

' _ **You're a fool.'**_

' _And you're annoying. Are we done?'_

Naruto took Kurama's silence as an answer as he raced back to the village, eager to once again resume his watching of a certain Hyūga girl.

* * *

Sakura stood patiently outside of Sasuke's home, bento in hand. Something Hinata had said at the cafe stuck with her.

" _I just hope my love is able to reach him."_

That really struck something within her.

' _Has my love been able to reach him? Am I trying hard enough?'_ She thought to herself.

That's why she had decided to make a dinner for Sasuke. Not in the hopes that he would finally like her back, or that he would invite her to eat with him, but because she wanted him to have a good meal. Sasuke lived alone, he probably never had anyone cooking for him.

So, there she stood, in front of his door where she had been for the past hour. He had to come home sometime, right?

Just as the thought entered her mind, she heard footsteps making their way up to the corridor. To her delight, it was none other than the object of her affection. She immediately smiled.

"Sasuke-kun! Are you okay?" She asked him.

Sasuke hadn't even noticed her until she spoke up, too engrossed in his own thoughts. He looked up to meet her gaze, seeing her cheerful expression. His stare momentarily stopped on the bento she was holding, and suddenly it hit him how hungry he was.

"I'm fine Sakura. I was just training. What are you doing here?" He wondered aloud.

Sakura, all of sudden feeling nervous, looked to the ground as her cheeks flushed red, "W-well, uh. I hadn't seen you in a long time so I was worried."

Sasuke raised a brow, "Worried?" About him?

She nodded, "Yeah. I didn't know if you were okay. So I decided to wait here until you came home. And oh! I made you some food!" She practically shouted as she held the meal out to him.

He reached hesitantly for the meal, stomach growling, "For… me?"

"Yes." She said softly as she finally met his eyes. He seemed a bit taken back, but not unhappy. "I-I don't know if you'll like it. I'm not the best cook, so I got my mom to help me! And got some advice from Hinata-chan too! She's really good!" She rambled. She cursed her own nervousness, the words kept tumbling out of her mouth.

Sasuke didn't know what to make of it. She had gone through all that trouble for him. And how long had she been standing there?

"Sakura… thanks."

Sakura's eyes widened as her entire face turned pink. Sasuke had never thanked her so sincerely before.

"O-oh it was nothing! Anyway, I'd better get going!" She said, as she started to walk away.

Sasuke turned towards her, "You're leaving? Weren't you planning to stay?" He asked her. He didn't get it. If she didn't stay to eat, then what was she getting out of this? It made no sense.

She smiled warmly at him while she clasped her hands behind her back, "No, sorry. I promised my mom I would be home for dinner. And I'm already late. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, and that you had some good food to eat Sasuke-kun. I-I'll see you later!" She exclaimed as ran off, her nervous jitters causing her to run off faster.

Sasuke stood there completely speechless. He stared at the bento for a bit, not moving.

' _She… she did this for me without expecting anything in return?'_

Sasuke finally walked to his door and unlocked it, trudging inside. He was exhausted, but his mind was still racing, thinking about Sakura's gesture.

She really reminded him of someone, but he couldn't think of who exactly.

He opened up the bento, and a wonderful aroma slammed into him. Pork, rice, seaweed, and a medley of other savory treats inside. Nothing sweet, to his delight. Sakura must've known he hated sweets. He felt a weird sensation in his chest at the thought. He broke apart his chopsticks and began eating the food. He was happy that it hadn't gotten too cold, and it tasted wonderful.

How long had Sakura waited for him to get home? And how hard had she worked on this dinner? She had said that she got help from both Hinata and her mother. She must have really wanted to get it right.

For the first time since his family was around, he really felt as though someone was looking out for him, that someone cared.

His family…

That was it! That's what Sakura's gesture had reminded him of.

His mother.

He felt a pang of sadness at her memory. He hadn't thought of her or any of his family in a long time, except for Itachi of course. His mother had a special place in his heart. He missed her so much.

His mother used to make bentos for him like this all the time. He loved them. He could always feel her love for him when she made him food, or laid out his clothes for him in the morning.

Now that he thought about it, his mother and Sakura were alike in many ways. Both were stubborn and determined, both were quite strong, not to mention strong-willed. Both were kind and cheerful, and both cared very strongly about him.

A warmth spread through his entire body and settled in his chest. As he continued to eat his meal, he couldn't help the smile that was plastered to his face. What Sakura had done for him might not seem like much to other people, but it had really meant a lot to him.

He wasn't sure what to do about this foreign feeling that her kindness had given him, but he decided that he didn't want it to go away.

* * *

Sai sat in the hallway, attempting to sit still. He wasn't sure what this foreign emotion he was feeling was. He throat was dry, his skin was clammy, and he was shaking. He had a sense that something bad was sure to happen.

According to a book he had read, these were all the signs of nervousness, even fear. Was he afraid?

A door in front of him opened, revealing a young chunin with brown hair.

"You may enter now."

Sai swallowed and nodded, rising to his feet. He tentatively made his way through the large door, making sure not to make eye contact with the man before him. He kept his gaze firmly on the floor.

"Sai, it is good to see you."

Sai looked up to face the man, "Yes, Lord Hokage. It is good to see you as well."

Hiruzen smiled at the boy. For someone who had been trained not to show emotion, he was failing miserably. It was clear that he was nervous.

"Please, have a seat. I have a few things I'd like to discuss with you." The Hokage gestured to a seat in front of his desk, and Sai nodded. He walked slowly to it and sat down.

He gulped, fearing the worst. Had he been discovered? He wasn't ready for this! He had yet to make a decision on what he should do.

"Now," The Hokage began, "I have a few questions for you, Sai."

* * *

"Pervy Sage, I heard you the first time."

"I don't care! I'll tell you again and again until it sinks into that thick skull of yours!"

Naruto groaned in frustration. He was currently in the middle of getting chewed out by Jiraiya for his stalker-like antics. He wasn't surprised that Jiraiya knew, especially after talking to the Hokage.

They were currently in his apartment, where Jiraiya had been meeting up with him.

Jiraiya sighed, "Look kid, I know it's hard for you, but we didn't come here so you could watch your girlfriend. We came here to keep an eye on Orochimaru. I know you've done some of that, but I also know that that majority of your time has been spent watching her from a tree or something. That isn't helpful to us!"

Naruto nodded, "I know… it's just… what if the next time I see her is the last? We won't be back for long, and I don't want to waste the time I have." He admitted, his eyes sad.

Jiraiya's expression softened, "Look, how about I promise you something?"

Naruto's eyes met Jiraiya's, urging him to continue.

"I promise that I will allow you the time to watch Hinata's match in the finals."

Naruto's expression went from surprised to elated in a matter of seconds. He grinned from ear to ear.

"You mean it?!"

Jiraiya chuckled at how much he sounded like a normal little kid, "Yes, but only if you start taking this job seriously."

Naruto threw himself at Jiraiya hugging him tightly. Jiraiya was shocked at first, but smiled at the boy.

"Thanks so much Pervy Sage! You won't regret it!" He said, running out of the apartment.

' _Now, where is that boy off to now?'_

* * *

Naruto was heading off to the Hokage mountain, to get the best view of the village he could. It was night, so he would need all the help he could get. Thankfully, it was a full moon, so the extra light helped him to see.

If fulfilling this mission to the best of his ability would guarantee he got to see Hinata's match, then he would go above and beyond. Once he was sure he had the best vantage point, he cleared his mind and became completely silent.

He was now committed to take his job more seriously, and wanted to see if anything suspicious happened. He was keeping a sharp eye out, listening intently for something. Anything.

What he heard wasn't what he expected.

' _ **Naruto! We've got trouble!'**_

"Huh?!" Naruto shouted out loud as he heard a sort of growl coming from the woods behind him. The second his head turned, he was tackled to the ground.

"What the hell?!"

There, standing above him, was a boy. He recognized him from somewhere. He had bright red hair, a gourd on his back, and the kanji for ' _love'_ on his forehead.

This boy was in his dream of Hinata!

"Who are you?!"

The boy simply stood there and began to laugh, " **I'm Gaara… I'm just like you… a monster…"**

Naruto's eyes threatened to pop out of his head, his heart seemingly stopped. What did he mean by that?

' _ **Naruto! I sense Shukaku inside of him! A tailed beast! This boy is a jinchuriki!'**_

Naruto's breathing became labored as dread raced through him, flooding his veins. This boy was like him?

"You're a jinchuriki too? Then why are you attacking me?!"

He was confused. Wouldn't he want to know more about him? Get to know him? This was wrong!

" **There can only be one… Mother demands your blood… Kurama's blood… I will not cease to exist… I must kill!"** He screamed in a menacing tone that sent chills down Naruto's spine.

"Wait!" Naruto pleaded with him, but it was too late. As Naruto had shouted at him, the boy named Gaara leapt towards him, ready to strike.

* * *

"Lord Orochimaru! I have news!"

The snake Sannin shifted in his seat, getting to his feet. He turned his sickening smile on his subordinate.

"What is it, Kabuto?"

The silver-haired genin smirked back at his master, eager to please him with this new information.

"It seems we were correct. Jiraiya is back in the village, and he has brought the nine tails jinchuriki with him." He explained.

The Sannin chuckled to himself, giddy with the new intel, "Excellent work Kabuto. This will help us greatly. I am curious about the boy. He may be of use to us at some point, along with Sasuke of course. We have already made use of one jinchuriki, having another would be magnificent." He speculated.

"Would you like me to keep an eye on him my Lord?"

The snake simply shook his head, "No. Right now our attention must be focused on the Uchiha boy. But we must keep note of the fox boy for the future. In the meantime, I'll have to keep Jiraiya off our tracks. You are dismissed, Kabuto."

"Yes, my Lord."

Orochimaru smirked to himself, thrilled with the new information.

' _The nine tails is quite powerful. And if I could obtain the Sharingan, I may be able to control it. I would be unstoppable!'_

He chuckled evilly to himself.

' _I think I'll have to set a new long-term plan into motion.'_

* * *

 _ **Author's Note!**_

 **Interesting! So Naruto's a stalker, SasuSaku is cute, Gaara wants to kill Naruto and Orochimaru is as creepy as ever. Pretty much sums it up.**

 **I have to apologize again. Since I'm so busy now, there's a good chance I won't be able to respond to everyone's PMs and reviews like I had been in the past. I'm sorry! I'll try my best but if you don't get a response please don't take it personally.**

 **I'm happy that I finally got this chapter going though. I'm already started on the next chapter of** _ **How Can We Go Back,**_ **and as soon as that's finished I'll work as quickly as possible to get the next chapter of this story out. Leave a review, let me know what you think, and if you have some suggestions for the story, let me know! I really to listen to them (if it fits in with the story).**

 **Next chapter will see the encounter between Naruto and Gaara, more time with Hinata, more SasuSaku, and more info on what the heck was said between Sai and the Hokage!**

 **Anyway, see you guys next time!**


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